• lyrically: melancholic, nostalgic for youth
  • sounds like the singer’s solo record – very personal storytelling
  • richly melodic, but with a full band sound plus strings and choirs
  1. 2 gtrs hard panned; left = melody, right = rhythm on the 1234
  2. low bass comes in with vox

02 ‘Lippy Kids’ – Build a Rocket Boys! (2011) – Elbow

  1. piano or keys playing steady every beat, incorporating the melody into the rhythm
  2. chorus: bvs, hums
  1. 1st note repeated before launching into melody
  2. multiple vox parts overlap
  1. chorus: switches from funky to steady beat
  2. background children / crowd as solo
  1. harmony and rhythm set on the one instrument; ac gtr
  2. chorus: key chords on the 1s, otherwise the same as verses
    same chords and melody
    ie. accent instrument in between verses and reinforcement in choruses
  1. bonging, like an electronic alarm or school bell
    bonging follows and stays on last note of melody, in between lines
  2. bonging slows to end
  1. chorus: no beat, just organ drone + vox
  2. string sustain rises in pitch before 1st verse

08 ‘The River’ – Build a Rocket Boys! (2011) – Elbow

  1. sawing wood rhythm? – maybe hammond rotating speakers…
  2. piano, vox & choir (oohs)

09 ‘Open Arms’ – Build a Rocket Boys! (2011) – Elbow

  1. drums: velvet underground train or nothing
  2. train drums contrasting with long slow bass, and piano/vox melodies

10 ‘The Birds (reprise) – Build a Rocket Boys! (2011) – Elbow

  1. reprise previous track in a completely different style
  2. crowd hubbub sfx bridging from previous track – create contrast with lead vox creating a lonely feel

11 ‘Dear Friends’ – Build a Rocket Boys! (2011) – Elbow

  1. ac gtr swell (with elc gtr texture ringing out) before vox enter
  2. horns enter final section, ac gtr and drums fade out, leaving horns alone – verbed