Elbow - Cast of Thousands

Elbow’s Cast of Thousands is as subtly bloated with background synths and faint samples as Beck’s Sea Change, which is quite a feat considering that it is merely the band’s second full-length album. Even more remarkable is the sweepingly beautiful and surprisingly cohesive inclusion of, “a cast of thousands, including members of fellow Manchester bands Doves and Alfie, the London Community Gospel Choir, a string section and the entire crowd at Glastonbury, memorably singing ‘we still believe in love, so fuck you.” The album is an ambitious set of songs that are as musically pleasing and lyrically accomplished as they are intricate. Each song has a completely satisfying polish constructed from what seems like hundreds of tightly woven, but very quiet tracks. The sudden changes in instrumentation and density force your attention throughout the entire album, unlike the exceedingly lethargic Sea Change. You may think Cast of Thousands sounds like a typical brit-rock album at first listen, but if you lean your ear against your speakers you’ll hear an entire backdrop of clicks, taps, and scratches placed ever so gently behind the standard instruments, and it makes all the difference. If the strikingly vast atmosphere and visually intense lyrics don’t tantalize that brain of yours, I can’t imagine what will. It’s my album of the year for 2003 and I stand completely confident that anyone with an open mind will love this album. [www.elbow.co.uk]