Seldom Seen Kid, The [Digipak]

Q - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]hese songs refuse to trade in emotional certainties....They're still burning brightly: slowly, maybe, but stronger than ever." Spin - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Nicer than Pulp, less sappy than Coldplay, Elbow excel at meticulous orchestral pop that doesn't take itself too seriously." The Word - "THE SELDOM SEEN KID is a quiet triumph, poised between joy and heartbreak, revelling in the everyday and full of a sense of being made far, far away..." Mojo - Ranked #23 in Mojo's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2008" -- "SELDOM SEEN brought a romantic optimism to Elbow's poignancy.." Spin - Ranked #11 in Spin's "40 Best Albums Of 2008" -- "Always dramatic and occasionally sweet, it's music designed for dark whiskey and wool suits." Clash - Ranked #6 in Clash's "The 40 Best Albums of 2008" -- "[G]randiose yet grounded, soaringly beautiful yet subtly beguiling -- a sky-scraping tour de force of an album." Spin (p.108) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Nicer than Pulp, less sappy than Coldplay, Elbow excel at meticulous orchestral pop that doesn't take itself too seriously." Spin (p.51) - Ranked #11 in Spin's "40 Best Albums Of 2008" -- "Always dramatic and occasionally sweet, it's music designed for dark whiskey and wool suits." Q (Magazine) (p.114) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]hese songs refuse to trade in emotional certainties....They're still burning brightly: slowly, maybe, but stronger than ever." Mojo (Publisher) (p.69) - Ranked #23 in Mojo's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2008" -- "SELDOM SEEN brought a romantic optimism to Elbow's poignancy.." Clash (magazine) (p.69) - Ranked #6 in Clash's "The 40 Best Albums of 2008" -- "[G]randiose yet grounded, soaringly beautiful yet subtly beguiling -- a sky-scraping tour de force of an album." The Word (magazine) (p.98) - "THE SELDOM SEEN KID is a quiet triumph, poised between joy and heartbreak, revelling in the everyday and full of a sense of being made far, far away..."

Epic post-rock tinged emotional indie stalwarts Elbow release their fourth album 'The Seldom Seen Kid', another staunch and anthemic collection of songs. The tense and emotional sound of previous records remains, but with a distinctly more commercial riff-based template, particularly on lead single 'Grounds For Divorce'. The band produced the record themselves, as with previous outings, lending it a homespun quality that would be out of synch with any external influence. Revered by their peers as a reliably independent act, Elbow have created a subtly innovative extension of their sound and scope with 'The Seldom Seen Kid'.|