Elbow "Leaders of the Free World" (V2)
By Ken Marcou
Thursday. Dec 01, 1:16 AM
Compelling Manchester quintet continues to soundtrack intimacy.

Thick with introspection and the intent of sharing their personal thoughts, Elbow also evoke these things in their listeners with Leaders of the Free World. The band do so on this new album with less grandiose, ground shattering climaxes and walls of sound as found on their outstanding first record Asleep in the Back, in favor of a more controlled, subtle way of touching us. Chant-like vocals like those on "Any Day Now" from the aforementioned debut are retained in some spots – like on opener "Station Approach" – but songs like "Forget Myself" have an enticing and grabbing accessible quality, which is different than what Elbow have produced thus far. The album is a musical journey with a lot variation and color.

Leaders of the Free World is fantastic in the way it speaks of how one recognizes the absurdity of one's leaders and their appalling actions. "The leaders of the free world are just little boys throwing stones. And it's easy to ignore till they're knocking on the door to your homes." The music shifts after the second chorus to include an aggressive low register piano matching the melody of the distorted bass guitar, increasing the drama. To top it off, a brooding choir implying a doom-filled reality refers to "passing the gun from father to feckless son" as the song fades out.

"The Mexican Standoff" seems to have a village party type of good-time feel to it, complete with a repetitive drum cadence and fast handclaps. Vocalist Guy Garvey sings how he's jealous of his girl's ex, and it's a great lighthearted song about a more harmless type of male confrontation. "Your sweet reassurances don't change the fact / that he's better looking than me." It ends with a distorted guitar kicking in and the intensity rising with multi voiced harmonies, as if to push the confrontation to the brink of occurring. But it ends peacefully in the end with the girl’s reassurances winning out.

"An Imagined Affair" is a perfect name for this song. Others similar in mood include "The Everthere,” The Stops," and "Great Expectations." "Great Expectations" is a lot like the mood of "Newborn" or "Powder Blue" from Asleep in the Back, in that they’re like the soundtrack to your greatest realizations of love. On songs like these, Elbow have a way of getting into you and warming you. They understand and speak with the heart wrenching emotions and hopes that go along with the search for that which completes our lives.

Leaders of the Free World is filled with moving pieces of music. Like waking up early after the first night with someone who truly "wowed" you and looking through the bluish early morning glow, whispering to them as they sleep, Elbow proclaim "you were the sun in my Sunday morning" on "Great Expectations." This shared intimacy in Elbow's music is compelling and memorable, and could very well be a unique part of your own intimate and important moments.
www.elbow.co.uk
www.v2music.com

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Ken Marcou

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