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You seriously need to get “The Seldom Seen Kid - Live at Abbey Road” from Elbow. Today!

June 9th, 2009 Posted by: Dust Devil

WOW!

It is an absolute rarity for me to order a disc online, and even more of a rare event to order anything from outside the U.S. However, since I could not find this boxed set at any local store, it became a must to order it online. When the package arrived at the office yesterday I immeditaely popped in the CD. I am still blown away 24 hours later.

The Seldom Seen Kid is the fourth studio disc from Bury, Greater Manchester’s Elbow. Manchester has to have something special in the water, for some of the most incredible music has come from that area of the world. The Chameleons, Joy Division, New Order, The Buzzcocks, The Smiths, Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets, The Fall, Chemical Brothers and Oasis have each contributed to the legend of Manchester. I think I have made it pretty obvious in the last year just how special I think Elbow is.

January 17, 2009, Elbow teamed up with the BBC Orchestra and the London-based chamber choir Chantage to perform the disc in its entirety at legendary Abbey Road Studios. A fairly popular band by the name of The Beatles recorded most of their work at the studio between 1962-1970. The Seldom Seen Kid - Live at Abbey Road is Elbow’s contribution to the legacy of this famous landmark in music history.

In the short 24+ hours I have possesed this set since receiving it in the mail yesterday, I have listened to the CD three times and watched the DVD once. Overkill you might say. Basking in the glory of perfection I call it. Yes folks, this disc is the perfect live document of Elbow.

It seems to me in the past couple of years a band playing a classic album from its catalog in its entirety has become a welcome occurrence. Sonic Youth did this with their watershed Daydream Nation, Built to Spill with Perfect From Now On and Jimmy Eat World earlier this year with Clarity. I love the concept! In Elbow’s case, the occasion was to celebrate The Seldom Seen Kid winning the 2008 Mercury Prize for Album of the Year.

Starlings opened the show, and it becomes immediately clear how much more powerful the tracks will sound with a full orchestra and choir behind the five members of Elbow. The horns on the track are so much more amplified, and the string section was phenomenal. The Bones of You was delivered with sheer pop brilliance, with the guitar work from Mark Potter both beautiful and intense at the same time. Mirrorball was a wonderful transition from track two to four. Grounds for Divorce was incredible, with the choir absolutely dominating the proceedings during the sing-a-long chorus, and the entire symphony coming in at the end to bring the track to a stunning close.

An Audience with the Pope, Weather to Fly and The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver showcase Guy Garvey’s vocals so well, and provide the perfect bridge for the listener to prepare you for the last four tracks of the album.

Richard Hawley strides onstage at this point and joins the band for a well-crafted rendition of The Fix. The vocals of Guy and Richard mesh so well on this song, and I love the organ played by Craig Potter. Next up is one of the most stirring live tracks of the show, Some Riot. Craig Potter’s excellent piano work complements the lyrics and incredible emotion Guy Garvey displays while singing this song. A moving piece of work that will bring you to tears. Elbow then brings out one of the singles from the album, a glorious piece of work called One Day Like This. Probably one of their best live tracks, the string section is in full force during this song and on most discs would be the closer. However, Elbow has one more gem to give the audience.

The Seldom Seen Kid is a reference Guy Garvey’s father tagged fellow Manchester musician Bryan Glancy with, and became the title of Elbow’s fourth disc as a dedication to Glancy after his tragic death in 2006. The final song on the album is Friend of Ours. The first lines were written right after Glancy’s death, with the end coming more than a year later. This track had never been played live before this evening. Richard Jupp’s low-key but consistent bass lines add tempo to a very mellow, emotional song. Guy Garvey’s inspired, tragic delivery makes it plainly evident how much Bryan Glancy meant to him as a friend. What an incredible way to end a spectacular concert.

The DVD is the same exact show as the CD, and actually seeing Elbow perform this disc live is the way to listen to The Seldom Seen Kid - Live at Abbey Road. I am still blown away all these hours later, and look forward to watching it once again later this evening!

HMV.com sells The Seldom Seen Kid - Live at Abbey Road, and they provide great, quick service! I highly recommend using these guys to order the disc. It will come out to just under $40 total after converting American money to British pounds, but from a music perspective, it is some of the best money you will spend all year.

Touring with some big bands such as U2 and Coldplay this year, Elbow is also managing to squeeze in some headlining dates of their own. The Dust Devil has his eyes on a trip to Atlanta August 8 for a show at the Center Stage. They will also be at The Wiltern in Los Angeles July 22, and at the 9:30 Club in D.C. August 4. Check out this link for tickets to see Elbow live in concert. Scroll over the “L” in Elbow to see the live dates link. If the show you need is sold out (and I think they all should), TickCo is a good source for another option for Elbow tickets.

Elbow is quite simply the best band on the planet right now. The Mercury Prize win has helped the band reach plenty of new fans, but this is a band that should be selling out stadiums world-wide, not just in Europe. Come on America, wake up and start ignoring that sissy punk and teeny-bopper music that is popular on the U.S. airwaves. Elbow is the real deal. But, like the friend of mine that first introduced me to Elbow once said a few years ago, this is a “subtle” band. Thanks Bob. I have a feeling Elbow won’t be sneaking up on people much longer. I hope so.

Cheers!
The Dust Devil

Filed under: My Take, Cheers and Jeers