| I know I believe in nothing, but it's.... |
| My Nothing. |
| Page last updated; 23rd September 2003 |
| Cast of Thousands |
| Track listing; 1. Ribcage 2. Fallen angel 3. Fugitive motel 4. Snooks (progress report) 5. Switching off 6. Not a job 7. I've got your number 8. Buttons and zips 9. Crawling with idiot 10. Grace under pressure 11. Flying dream 143 A practically sub-aqua �wibble� announces the start if this triumphant return in the form of a second album. Lazy vocals follow, �I wanted to explode� simply falls from Guy Garvey�s mouth. It could only be ribcage, a six and a half minute epic. Building in a way which we have come to expect from Elbow. Backing vocals burn �let the sun inside� across your brain as a response to �I wanted to explode, to pull my ribs apart and�� When Garvey says �all I need is you� the building intensity of the track lets you know he means every syllable. Changing pace slightly the first (traditionally released) single, fallen angel, is fast by Elbow standards. A drum led track the guitars and other �bits� that mark out an Elbow track build from there, the result is an eclectic monster with a worryingly catchy chorus; �choose our favourite shoes and keep your blues on cruise control�. The ominous sounding fugitive model provides a clear link back to Asleep in the back. Despite being more in the vein of the first album it is in no way out of place on Cast� although it is perhaps one of the more �comfortable� tracks in its familiar composition. It provides some of the darker intensity that this album has moved on, although not entirely, from and proves that Elbow still know what works whilst proving their keenness to experiment and progress when compared to other tracks. The �vocals� at the beginning of snooks (progress report) recorded by taping a microphone directly to Garvey�s throat proves just how experimental Elbow can be. Creating an interestingly haunting hush before the coming second-esq scream of guitar seen on asleep in the back. Perhaps they felt more links should be made to the first album, however I think the song could have survived without it, a new sound experiment would have been nice. The tired, mellowed and slightly scared switching off begs you to understand, to take it in your arms and rock gently along with its lament. Almost grinding to a halt at 1:50 it revives for a second verse and a further chorus for turning to free climax as �ran to ground� is heartbreakingly repeated. Some people have sited this as the best track on the album, I wouldn�t agree as whilst it has many admirable components the overall track doesn�t seem to work for me, missing a melancholy desperation that works so well elsewhere, by inches. Not a job is unremarkable but makes for a nice bridge between switching off and I�ve got your number. It seems to resort to tried and tested make-up with a building in waves sort of rhythm and a quiet refrain of �sleep it off�. By no means a filler, or bad track, just not one of the best. I�ve got your number, however, is a triumph. Typically innocent lyrics like �keep it in the bottom drawer where you hide the sex tools� continue to endear Garvey to his audience and the long instrumental bridges, allowing the music, not the vocals to lead the track makes for a well rounded piece. The intensity and dull-threat in every line, gritty guitars and unnervingly gentle rift is back and it works so very well. Concluding with an obvious play on the title of the track with an answer machine recorded voice manipulated into a conclusion it�s a favourite first listen. Buttons and zips may feel like the time to take a break for the uninitiated elbow listener, but its worth persevering with. By the time the rhythm changes slightly for �will I ever get this song off my lips� you are straining to hear every word Garvey murmurs. Resisting the temptation to describe the whole thing as �pretty� is hard because the innocence of it all is once again engaging (�we were at each other�s buttons and zips in the blossom shed�) I will, therefore, simply leave my surmise of this track thus; listen to it again and again. The album winds down with crawling with idiot, a dark, low and intoxicating 4minutes42 it plays out as you find yourself gently arching and aching to be able to touch the sound emanating from the stereo. It�s sexual, depressed, sensual and so, so perfect. �Chrome, Smoke, Heat, Me and you.� The song containing the section which is surely responsible for the albums overall title, grace under pressure is an unexpected gem. A �plinky plink� intro gives way to painstakingly observed first verse before all caution is thrown to the wind with an eruption of instruments, and later 10,000 people to establish that �we still believe in love, so fuck you�. Flying dream seems designed specifically for a last track, it enters your consciousness on a level where you can only just be sure you�ve heard it not imagined it. Concluding the album in a way which seems to tie together both old and new Elbow it leaves you waiting impatiently for the third album. |
 |