Cast of Thousands [CD ROM] (2004)

There doesn't appear to be an Elbow consensus: they are their own band; they are the Coldplay it's OK to like; they are the Talk Talk for people who've never heard Talk Talk (or Catherine Wheel); they are somewhere between Supertramp and Superchunk; they are part of a succession of over-introspective, twaddle-peddling British rock bands. They are most of these things -- the positive things, at least -- at various points. On Cast of Thousands, Elbow's second album, the group does deserve to take its rightful place as one of ... Read More

There doesn't appear to be an Elbow consensus: they are their own band; they are the Coldplay it's OK to like; they are the Talk Talk for people who've never heard Talk Talk (or Catherine Wheel); they are somewhere between Supertramp and Superchunk; they are part of a succession of over-introspective, twaddle-peddling British rock bands. They are most of these things -- the positive things, at least -- at various points. On Cast of Thousands, Elbow's second album, the group does deserve to take its rightful place as one of the most respectable rock bands going. What separates this album from their debut isn't all that apparent on the surface. Downcast songs about relationships remain their stock-in-trade, but the sound has made natural advancements and the quality control is less prone to malfunctioning. In other words, they have followed through on whatever promise Asleep in the Back held; you could sense this would happen, just as you could sense that, after Lazer Guided Melodies, Spiritualized would make an even better record the next time out. However predictable Cast of Thousands might be, the minor differences add up to a lot. More so than ever, Elbow's greatest asset is that the band is capable of making big sounds without being bombastic or flashy. And they've tempered the characteristics that got them tagged as sad sacks, although that fact is mostly apparent in the lyrics ("place" rhymes with "virgin mother what's-her-face"; the payoff line in opener "Ribcage" goes "I wanted to explode, to pull my ribs apart and let the sun inside"). The only setback? Gospel choirs. Hopefully, at some point before they make their next album, they'll realize that their songs don't need background vocals from an entire congregation in order to feel redemptive -- or powerful. [V2 issued the album in the U.S. five months after the original U.K. release.] [This version of the album includes bonus CD ROM material.] ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi Read Less

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  MUSICAL ENERGI LOW Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA

  $11.24 $13.98 Add to Cart Add this copy of Cast of Thousands to cart. $11.24, very good condition, Sold by MUSICAL ENERGI rated 2.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Wilkes-Barre, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by V2 Music 71892.

  	Edition: 2004, V2 CD, Very Good	Details: UPC: 638812718921 Discs: 2 Label: V2 Released: 2004 Alibris ID: 17532670006	Shipping Options: Standard Shipping: $4.99 Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
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2004, V2 UPC: 638812718921 CD See All from $11.24