Guy Garvey

The music of Elbow, certainly massive in the UK, is still managing to fly somewhat below the radar here in the states, despite endorsements from Radiohead and their latest disc, The Seldom Seen Kid, winning the 2008 Nationwide Mercury Award--an honor akin to to the U.S.'s Shortlist Music Prize.

To compare Elbow's music to that of Radiohead's would be a cheap, lazy, over-simplified under-classification. So.. that's what we'll go with.

In all seriousness, one needn't wrack brains hard to hear some Bends-era influence (or even Ok Computer-esque originality) in Seldom Seen Kid (especially on tracks like The Bones of You, one of Kid's singles). Garvey has had no trouble being open and verbal about the influence that Radiohead has had on him and on Elbow as a band creatively. But enough about bands that DIDN'T win the Merc. Seldom Seen Kid, quite simply, is a must-hear.

Two of Seldom's best tracks are on YouTube. Enjoy, and then grab the disc and hope for some U.S. dates (of which there are none to speak, at the moment).

Elbow - Grounds for Divorce


Elbow - One Day Like This