Elbow are an English rock band formed in Bury, Greater Manchester in 1997.
Elbow’s musical style has been described as alternative rock, indie rock, indie pop, Britpop, art rock, progressive rock, dream pop, post-rock, and post-Britpop. Elbow have cited a number of influences on their music, including Genesis (in particular the progressive rock years featuring Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett), Talk Talk and Radiohead. Guy Garvey has said: “I grew up listening to every Genesis record. I learned to write harmonies by listening to Peter Gabriel.” The song “Newborn” from Elbow’s debut album was directly influenced by “Entangled” from the Genesis album A Trick of the Tail. Garvey has also said “there’d be no Elbow without Radiohead“. He credits the band’s sense of dynamics to the influence of Talk Talk and has said: “Volume dynamics are an essential part of classical music, but a lost art with guitar music. I think it’s incredibly boring and shortsighted if a band sticks with just one sound song for song. An album should take people on a journey.”
Current members
Guy Garvey – lead vocals, guitar (1997–present)
Craig Potter – keyboard, piano, backing vocals (1997–present)
Mark Potter – guitar, backing vocals (1997–present)
Pete Turner – bass guitar, backing vocals (1997–present)
Alex Reeves – drums, percussion (2024–present)
Former members
Richard Jupp – drums, percussion (1997–2016)
Former touring and session musicians
Alex Reeves – drums, percussion (2016–2024)
Discography
|
Studio albums |
10 |
|---|---|
|
Live albums |
3 |
|
Compilation albums |
2 |
|
EPs |
5 |
“Balu,” the cut I’m sharing today, is from their 3/22/24 released 10th album, AUDIO VERTIGO. Info lifted from wiki about the new album:
Audio Vertigo was recorded during 2023 at the band’s home studios, Migration Studios in Gloucestershire, and the Dairy in London. Session and touring drummer Alex Reeves contributed to the writing of the album, which led to him becoming a full member of the band.
Regarding the lead single “Lover’s Leap“, frontman Guy Garvey said “then I came up with that sort of spitty distorted horn line for a change – ended up me and Craig playing the melodica. Two big men playing a small instrument made the other guys laugh! And then out came this tale of star crossed lovers and spontaneous graffiti and gift-shop retail.“
Additionally Garvey wanted the album “not to reflect but distract from the bad things happening in the world“. Further describing, “We found seedy, gnarly grooves playing in back rooms and those pulled some dark memories and plenty of humour from me.”
“Balu” is funkatronic with its throbbing bassline and has me grooving every time I listen to it, which has been a lot since first finding it on SRR. I can hear the Radiohead influence on Lover’s Leap. This one is its own animal.
There’s interesting information about Elbow’s contributions and collaborations at wiki.
Steve for the Deaf has written about Elbow a time or two, which is where I first heard (of) them. I was able to get two of their albums, 2014’s “The Take Off and Landing of Everything” and 2017’s “Little Fictions” but admit I haven’t taken the time to listen to them yet. You know how it goes with too much music and too little time. After getting hooked on Balu, maybe I will do better at finding the time.
Balu
Oh, my big Balu, with my wine I pine for you
My days are shapeless now
I’m something of a sacred cow
But sunrise on those gum balls bouncing around Manhattan
Saw the Magi sleep on a subway train
And the start of an elegant pattern
You carried me over the threshold
You were the B the bang the binge
‘Til I split for a tryst with a rust belt girl with a Plantagenet fringe
And, oh, do I miss you Balu with your bookmark heart
And your bible of sign of the times
I’ll dig you back up when they kill you
And hollow your skull for my wine
Balu, Balu, Balu
Balu, Balu, Balu, Balu
Oh, my big Balu, I saw you walking on the moon
I didn’t wind my window down
I didn’t wind my window down
But forever, old man, we’re children of Pan
Drones just don’t understand
There’s nothing amiss that cannae be fixed
By bottle of fire and a band
I’ll never be whole without you
But I’ll never grow in your shadow
Meccano, Mikado, m’laddo
If you can’t reach for the next branch up, I’ll sing to you
About the view
I’ll sing to you, Balu
Balu, Balu, Balu, Balu
Balu, Balu, Balu, Balu
I’ll sing to you about the view, Balu
Balu, Balu, Balu
Balu, Balu, Balu, Balu
Written by: Guy Edward John Garvey, Craig Lee Potter, Mark Potter, Peter James Turner, Alex Reeves
Album: AUDIO VERTIGO
Released: 2024
Sources: wikipedia, wikipedia, Lyrics provided by Musixmatch
Tao Talk 
I love Elbow–I didn’t realize they had so many albums. I have “Build a Rocket Boys” and “The Seldom Seen Kid”, both excellent. I never thought about them sounding like Genesis, but there is a bit of Peter Gabriel in the vocals, although I wouldn’t have made that connection myself. I think their sound is pretty distinct. (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cool that you know them, K.
LikeLiked by 1 person
More for my library list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
his voice is so dreamy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is…and I love the way they play with rhythm.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Elbow is an entirely new band to me. I like “Balu” and also sampled a few tracks from the two other albums you mentioned. They sound intriguing. I’m glad SRR seems to work well for you to discover new music. Since you mentioned it a few months ago, I’ve been checking it each week as well. It’s a good source! :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Christian, thanks for giving them a chance. So far Balu is my favorite thing heard from them. Happy you’ve found some gems in SRR :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cool sounding track Lisa…I like the groove of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too, Max. Just got home from a full day. 8am did some group bike path clean up. Left at 10 to go the GR for granddaughter’s 3rd birthday party. A fun, fun day but tired out now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rest away Lisa…enjoy your Saturday…sounds like you had a great time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was truly amazed at how extroverted and interactive she was with everyone. She got a gift of a drum, maracas, and castanets (kid version but they worked) and there were two other kids her size there. She took the drum, one kid took the maracas, and the other the castanets, and they had a jam session right then and there. It was SO COOL! The adults were taking turns singing and they were band.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is really cool! Very cool gift for kids cause they can instantly play them.
My newphew gave Bailey a set of drums when he was around 4 or 5. His son is now 3…guess who is getting a new set of drums soon?
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL! Payback is hell isn’t it ;) This drum wasn’t loud at all and so not aggravating. What was aggravating was the little battery powered puppy that walked, panted loudly, and barked. Of course the kids loved that too so it was on for a large block of time. Cute at first, but then…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yea…a lot of things are cute at first. I’ve been watching videos of Huskies…how they howl and cry like a human. I thought…that would be funny for a time or two…and then!
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh no! I would never have a dog like that! My little Chaun was totally quiet. He made noise only very rarely, maybe 10 x times in his 12 years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is cute though…like the one acting as a siren lol…but that would get old quick. Yea…Martha is pretty quite unless she sees a squirrel. I have post coming out about me, Martha, and a squirrel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will be looking for that post, Max. Sounds cute if I know Martha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I correct that, one was playing tambourine. Such a neat gift and the kids were naturals for it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is so cool, Lisa! I love Elbow’s version of “Golden Slumbers”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Listening to it right now. Sweet!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve loved Elbow since a Liverpudlian cousin turned me onto them in 2008. The variety of sounds they come up with, even within an album, is extraordinary. A top favourite plus I love hearing Guy’s banter on ‘Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour’ on BBC 6.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cool you know them well. So that’s a live show on TV? Or is that a podcast?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a live show on BBC 6 Music, repeating a couple of times through the week; I often catch the 1 pm GMT slot (early in the morning on CDT) but most often I listen to archives on BBC Sounds which is also where you can listen live. Program archives sit there for about 30 days. Here’s the show website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xvn6
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks much for the link, Steve. I just bookmarked it :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re very welcome. Enjoy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for yet another intro. The singer has a bit of Sting in him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure and I agree with you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that ;-)
LikeLiked by 1 person