(2021) Elbow - Asleep in the Back [Deluxe Edition]


Review:
…the collection includes tracks taken from their debut ‘Noisebox’ EP, featuring the original recording of ‘Powder Blue’, and their two releases for Manchester independent Uglyman Records, the ‘Newborn’ EP and the ‘Any Day Now’ EP. Guy Garvey and co have also released 6 tracks from the band’s headline show at London Astoria from that tour, along with 3 tracks recorded for Steve Lamacq’s Evening Session on Radio One transmitted in April 2001, and remixes of album tracks including fellow Mancunian Andy Votel’s take on ‘Powder Blue’. Elbow fiddles with a battery of widescreen dynamics and slight prog rock tendencies, delivering an epic debut of Manchester miserablism that will likely gain comparisons to fellow Mancunian band Doves (rightfully) and Coldplay (wrongfully). Like Doves, Elbow has enough supple shadings and tasteful textures to hold interest without vocals. However, where you have dance producers at the core of Doves, you have a highly emotional songwriter at the core of Elbow. Despite constantly dipping into an overflowing well of sonic tricks (the non-wank variety), each of Guy Garvey’s songs would be able to survive with a lone acoustic providing accompaniment. Judging from Garvey’s rough-hewn voice, he could be forgiven for sinking into a misery-addled torpor; thankfully, that’s not the case — given enough instrumental prodding from his cohorts, Garvey’s voice can soar and seethe with the best of them. Tally these qualities and you have a record that glides above the host of bands who prattle aimlessly about their pin cushion-frail souls. After all, Asleep in the Back is more about getting through and sustaining than it is flat-out moping or asking for a hug. The tempos might not ever exceed mid-level, and half of the songs might exceed five minutes, but the record is anything but a difficult listen or tough to wade through. When the acoustic strumming, piano twinkles, liquid basslines, and muted horns are this engaging and well arranged, it’s difficult to wring yourself from the web. If you can only spare eight minutes to test drive the record, go straight to “Newborn,” the sweeping centerpiece with enough catharsis and heavenly Talk Talk-informed organ that you’d swear it came from the second side of Catherine Wheel’s Adam and Eve. Stacked against other debuts out of Manchester, theirs is no disgrace.





Tracklist:
Disc 1
1. Any Day Now (06:18 )
2. Red (05:11)
3. Little Beast (04:15)
4. Powder Blue (04:30)
5. Bitten By the Tailfly (06:14)
6. Asleep in the Back (03:43)
7. Newborn (07:33)
8. Don’t Mix Your Drinks (03:18 )
9. Presuming Ed (Rest Easy) (05:27)
10. Coming Second (04:56)
11. Can’t Stop (04:36)
12. Scattered Black and Whites (05:31)

Disc 2
1. Powder Blue (Noisebox EP Version) (04:36)
2. Red (Noisebox EP Version) (03:30)
3. Theme from Munroe Kelly (Noisebox EP Version) (05:45)
4. Can’t Stop (Noisebox EP Version) (04:18 )
5. Kisses (The Newborn EP Version) (02:07)
6. none one (The Newborn EP Version) (03:43)
7. Wurzel (The Any Day Now EP Version) (02:14)
8. George Lassoes the Moon (The Any Day Now EP Version) (05:49)
9. Vum Garda (07:57)
10. About Time (05:50)
11. Suffer (03:30)
12. Lucky with Disease (03:46)
13. One Thing That Was Bothering Me (04:50)
14. Stumble (03:38 )
15. Puckfair (03:10)

Disc 3
1. Newborn (Radio 1 Lamacq Session) (02:56)
2. Don’t Mix Your Drinks (Radio 1 Lamacq Session) (02:11)
3. Red (Radio 1 Lamacq Session) (04:57)
4. Powder Blue (Andy Votel Mix) (07:03)
5. Press Your Lips (Newborn) (El Presidente Remix) (06:14)
6. Coming Second (Fink Remix) (07:03)
7. Coming Second (Misery:Lab Remix) (05:27)
8. Newborn Bitten By the Black Dog (04:39)
9. About Time (Acoustic Version) (02:03)
10. The Crow (Acoustic Version) (02:34)
11. Newborn (Acoustic Version) (03:13)

Disc 4
1. Bitten By the Tailfly (Live At The Astoria) (06:21)
2. Coming Second (Live at The Astoria) (05:09)
3. Don’t Mix Your Drinks (Live at The Astoria) (03:46)
4. Can’t Stop (Live at The Astoria) (05:18 )
5. Scattered Black and Whites (Live at The Astoria) (06:26)
6. George Lassoes The Moon (Live at The Astoria) (03:25)


Media Report:
Genre: indie-rock
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits