Guy Garvey has managed to get away from his show on BBC Radio 6 for long enough to get the band back together and bash out Elbow’s seventh studio album, Little Fictions. It follows up on the 2014 release of The Takeoff And Landing Of Everything, which picked up a #1 spot in the UK album charts, along with a lot of stars, fond words and general praise from the music press, so we’re expecting the new record to follow suit.
The album was recorded in Scotland and Manchester with sessions ranging from January to November earlier this year with the help of session drummer Alex Reeves, Hallé Orchestra on strings, and backing vocals from Hallé Ancoats Community Choir and London Contemporary Voices. It’s the fourth album to be produced by Craig Potter, who started to work with Elbow from Seldom Seen Kid in 2008 onward.
Release date
It’ll be released on CD, gatefold vinyl and digital download through Polydor on Friday the 3rd February 2016. You can also pick up the deluxe boxset from the Elbow store for forty nicker, which includes the album on 180gsm vinyl and CD, 4 art cards, an exclusive Little Fictions book, and the album digital download card all within the resplendent confines of a 12″ jacket box featuring the album artwork.
Singles
To-date, Elbow has only release one single ahead of the launch of the new album; Magnificent (She Says), which arrived on the 5th December 2016. It’s got softly crunched, flickering guitar edges with a clever mix of dampened and elongated synth notes and the interjection of impressive string arrangments. It’s as bitter-sweet in intention as One Day Like This with nearly as much uplifting delivery, but its a much weightier track, a bit like a helium balloon bobbing with the varying downward tug of a caught fish. Take a listen below.
Magnificent (She Says) music video:
Tracklist:
1. Magnificent (She Says)
2. Gentle Storm
3. Trust the Sun
4. All Disco
5. Head for Supplies
6. Firebrand & Angel
7. K2
8. Montparnasse
9. Little Fictions
10. Kindling
First impressions
Magnificent (She Says) is a pretty good indication that Little Fictions will be another fan favourite from Elbow as it mixes smart lyrics with the softer side of alt rock and overlays it all with beautiful orchestral arrangements. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of Bovril, but for fans of the band it’ll be exactly what you’ve been hoping for. With a UK tour that is almost entirely sold out to accompany the release of the album, there’s already a clamour for the band’s new material.
