I have done my best. I have given it lots of plays. It has been on while doing the ironing, cooking dinner, reading, mellowing on the sofa and generally pootling about. But its no good, it has to be said.
The Elbow album is a bit dull.
There are a couple of reasonable tracks on it but I really cannot see what all the fuss is about. I am sure loads of you will now pile in and tell me why I am wrong but, for me, this is just a collection of failed anthems. They seem like a lovely bunch of chaps, and they were clearly chuffed to win, but The Seldom Seen Kid as album of the year? I don't think so.
I have only heard four of the shortlisted albums, including Elbow. The other three - Laura Marling, The Last Shadow Puppets and Radiohead - are all much better than the eventual winner. I don't think any of them are amazing, they are various shades of pretty good, but they will definitely all be played in our house long after The Seldom Seen Kid has been flogged to someone on Amazon Marketplace.
I have always quite liked the Mercury Prize as a concept, and the many shortlists have included some great albums, but looking back over the winners I realise I only own four of the seventeen and one of those I am about to get rid of. Maybe it is one of those awards where the shortlist is more exciting than the winner.
But perhaps that can be said about most awards?
The whole idea of finding 'the best album of the year' is unachievable and a bit silly, so I think you're right, the shortlist is an opportunity to discover some good music by artists you might not normally come across.
That said I'm sorry you don't like Elbow. They've produced four quality albums of top-notch songwriting, always musically and lyrically interesting, and most importantly genuine. Guy Garvey has the kind of voice that some people find dull but as a fan of The National you'll know that a voice which doesn't noodle all over the place like Mariah Carey can still carry plenty of emotion. Seeing a band live can sometimes be the decider and just watching him belt out 'The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver' on the awards show gives you a idea of how much he means it.
(my wife -and maybe even I- prefers their previous album, 'Leaders of The Free World')
Posted by: William Rycroft | October 23, 2008 at 10:24 AM
The history of the Mercury Prize is full of winners who seemed like good ideas at the time... but then that's awards for you!
Posted by: Dan Gennoe | October 23, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Good band.
Nice story.
Dull album.
But I'm right with you SP - it's a pretty dreary record, and I'm a fan of dour, rainswept northern plod-rock!
Posted by: lance | October 23, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Burial and Rachel Unthank and The Winterset were my faves from this years list, so you're probably right about the shortlist having a little more to it than the winner. All of Elbow's albums are good, but, yes, perhaps this is the least interesting of the four.
Posted by: Adrian | October 23, 2008 at 02:48 PM
Burial and Rachel Unthank and The Winterset were my faves from this years list, so you're probably right about the shortlist having a little more to it than the winner. All of Elbow's albums are good, but, yes, perhaps this is the least interesting of the four.
Posted by: Adrian | October 23, 2008 at 02:48 PM
I would count myself as a fan of Elbow, but even I think this is one of their weakest albums. I wonder if they are the kind of band that dilute with the more success and popularity they achieve, which could be really bad news now they've won the Mercury. However I still believe that Garvey writes some stunning lyrics, there's far more going on in them, listen after listen, than many other bands around. And live they are close to spiritual.
Posted by: jem | October 23, 2008 at 03:03 PM