Elbow - "One Day Like This"

[oscillations.]

Officially the US single for the terrific album The Seldom Seen Kid, although "Grounds for Divorce" is arguably more known here at the moment. In the UK, this single is following up GFD's success, and is enjoying strong mainstream radio support, is charting well, and is generally regarded as an anthem of epic proportions. A lot of Pulsers like this song, too. ;)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQIdXKz4sE8

Enjoy!

[Coin-Operated [Boy]]

They should release this to HAC too.

[jazklash]

It's not that this song is bad - I definitely wouldn't turn the radio off (not that I really listen to the radio these days, be it terrestrial or not) if it appeared on rotation. It's just that it accentuates Elbow's identity crisis: they just don't know if they want to be a slightly neo-pyschedelic band, or an anthemic post-Britpop combo. A bit like The Verve in their Urban Hymns phase, if you think about it. So they try to be all things to everyone. And end up canceling themselves in the process. This is why they'll never be gigantic like Coldplay, I'm afraid.

Furthermore, it's not like this isn't the type of song that quite successful but unimportant acts like, say, Embrace or Athlete wouldn't be able to pull off relatively easy.

[The Human Strobe]

I have no idea why they'd pass over Grounds For Divorce in the US though. That song is absolute gold not to mention half the length. One Day Like This uncut is 6 minutes 50 seconds. I know I like long songs, but unless your name is Tool, the radio don't much care for that length of song on it's airwaves.

[oscillations.]

I have to agree, actually.

[Pipa]

I'm just not sure if you can edit this down to under 5 minutes and still make it amazing.

[oscillations.]

I think it proves itself after repeated listens to be a great song. At first, I felt underwhelmed by it and wanted "The Bones of You" or "Mirrorball" (both singleworthy, hint hint) instead, but this is the populus anthem Elbow wants to deliver at this point in time. And live, it really was something special, I can attest to it. I don't know what will happen to Elbow, but it seems some Americans are finally discovering them. Better late than never.

[My Life Is A Stereo]

Jun 16, 2008 13:06:57 GMT -5 The Human Strobe said:

I have no idea why they'd pass over Grounds For Divorce in the US though. That song is absolute gold not to mention half the length. One Day Like This uncut is 6 minutes 50 seconds. I know I like long songs, but unless your name is Tool, the radio don't much care for that length of song on it's airwaves.

IMO, the bluesy feel of Grounds for Divorce isnt really that accessible to the average Alt/rock radio listner in North America. In fact, at points for someone only moderately interested in the song, its far too easy to turn off because it feels monotonous. The only chance it would really have is to follow something like this which is slightly more accessible to those average listeners. GFD would probably get released if this does anything worthwhile chart or play wise.

[oscillations.]

You would think Americans would love the blues!

[My Life Is A Stereo]

Jun 16, 2008 13:37:49 GMT -5 oscillations. said:

You would think Americans would love the blues!

Blues/rock is basically relegated to sub genre status to the mainstream. Its sad, really, but its true. Not many break through with that style and even those that do, ala, Kenny Wayne Sheppard or Johnny Lang, seem to get fleeting success and fade out of the mainstream visual just as fast as they show up.

A few artists, like John Mayer or the White Stripes, get pegged sometimes as being blues or bluesy but they have to stray so far away for the most part to connect to a bigger audience that its really hard to even recognize the "blues content".

The only success these bands regularly muster(save for WS or JM) is from the hardcore music afficionados who see the subtlety and texture of the music and arent impressed by booty shaking, ham fisted same-as-yesterday music. The sad fact is that probably 95% of the buying public of music dont care, as long as its that song they heard on the radio they'll buy it, whether its garbage or not. It's easy to convince people they like something when they dont have any idea there's even options.

And yeah, record labels taking chances to get it out there, good luck with that.

[jazklash]

Jun 16, 2008 17:53:03 GMT -5 My Life Is A Stereo said:

Blues/rock is basically relegated to sub genre status to the mainstream. Its sad, really, but its true. Not many break through with that style and even those that do, ala, Kenny Wayne Sheppard or Johnny Lang, seem to get fleeting success and fade out of the mainstream visual just as fast as they show up.

Precisely because their music isn't, by any stretch, purist blues-rock, but rather a slickly-produced version of it. And of course, one must not forget that their whole selling point in the beginning was based around the gimmick of presenting them as teen prodigies.
As for John Mayer, he sounds as bluesy as Maroon 5 sound soulful.

[My Life Is A Stereo]

its kinda funny, I saw John Mayer play live about six years ago at a little club in Calgary and he was wayyyyyy more bluesy than any of his released stuff sounds like. I agree that nothing you would hear on mainstream radio is purist blues/rock anyway. Which tells me that a song that sounds more pure to that blues style, probably is gonna have a hard time, especially when they arent much of a name to the average radio listener.

[tortuga]

WTF is up with the video. A bald guy playing with a sign? LOL