Elbow - Build A RocketBoys!

Tue 17th May, 2011 in Music Reviews

After finally breaking free from the underground scene, Manchester’s latest and greatest musical outfit Elbow have released Build A Rocket Boys!, which falls heavily under the “second album syndrome” tag, despite the fact that it is their fifth studio album.

Elbow were brought to critical acclaim and commercial success with their stunning 2008 release The Seldom Seen Kid, a flawless mix of dark yet soothing compositions. Its success was drawn somewhat from its lack of anticipation and managed to catch virtually everyone off guard who was not familiar with their work. Which is one of the key points as to why Build A Rocket Boys! doesn’t quite meet the level of its predecessor.

First single from the album, Neat Little Rows, contains all the elements that have made Elbow as successful as they are today. A distinctive feature of Build A Rocket Boys! is the consistently low fidelity of the tracks. This time around they opt for a more acoustic and intimate atmosphere as opposed to some of the more bombastic and grand attempts made before. Ultimately, this release contains a more traditional folk-rock sound and a mellower vibe to experience.

The best moments of this recording come towards the conclusion of the album, with the tracks Open Arms and Dear Friends evoking all the right emotions and finishing this experience on a warm and positive note. Once finished, it is fair to say that an audience would be left soothed rather than excited, which for some is preferred, but for the general public, they might be left a little disappointed.

Build A Rocket Boys! is most certainly a good album, not the finest work by Elbow, but when the competition provided from their previous albums is so strong, it is really hard to meet up with the public’s expectations.