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Elbow | Asleep In The Back

A band worth getting excited about.
CD, V2

Tekst: Bob Hammond

Publicatiedatum: 28 januari 2002

Elbow are one of many "English guitar groups" to receive a great deal of attention these past few years. Granted, they do seem similar to many of their contemporaries, most notably Doves, but that is not a reason to dismiss them. With their debut album, 'Asleep In The Back', Elbow surpass the likes of Starsailor, Coldplay, and Travis with their original and well-polished sound. 'Asleep In The Back' is much of what Doves' 'Lost Souls' is: accessible guitar rock mixed in with electronic soundscapes. The album is heavily produced, but the production creates a space-like and ambient feel, while keeping the integrity of the actual instruments a la 'OK Computer'. As a result, it is hard for Elbow to avoid now cliché comparisons to Radiohead, but they measure up to this alleged similarity more in merit rather than style. In addition to the production, the percussion on this album is also intriguing. Often the beat sounds like that of Chicago postrockers Tortoise and is a pleasant surprise to one expecting the same old humdrum Britrock. In fact, if the album were absent of vocals, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to label it as "postrock". Elbow draw from many other musical sources on 'Asleep In The Back', such as the aforementioned Radiohead, but their success lies in the diversity of these influences and the way in which the concepts were built upon. The quiet acoustic of 'Don't Mix Your Drinks' and 'Scattered Black And Whites' is reminiscent of the British folk music of yesteryear, more specifically Nick Drake. Hints of later, mellower REM also pervade the album. However, it is important to note that, although these influences are there if you listen for them, at no point do they ever cause the album to scream "knock-off". Despite being created by a supposed guitar group, the album never really rocks. Excluding the sharp guitar riffs interspersed throughout 'Bitten By The Tailfly', 'Asleep In The Back' rarely approaches the powerpop of, for example, Doves' 'Catch The Sun' or Starsailor's 'Good Souls'. However, the profound musical textures of the album envelop the listener and replace the need for that kind of attraction. The grasping effect of the album is most evident on the stellar opening tracks 'Any Day Now', 'Red', and 'Little Beast'. With 'Asleep In The Back', Elbow clearly state their differences from the current influx of British bands. After listening to this album, it would be unfair and just plain wrong to lump Elbow in that category. The impression gained from their original and distinct effort is that they are a band that are headed in the right direction. You can hope they will drag a few other bands along, but for right now, be content that Elbow are a band worth getting excited about.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/elbow/asleep-in-the-back/891/
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