SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ELBOW – AUDIO VERTIGO

AUDIO VERTIGO is the 10th studio album from the highly acclaimed Manchester band elbow. It contains gorgeous atmosphere, rich and tender vocals, reflective lyrics, and intriguing experimentation.

Even though AUDIO VERTIGO sometimes feels overly reminiscent of Muse (“Balu”) and Radiohead (“Very Heaven” and “From the River”) at times, it still manages to be an entertaining album that is both experimental and accessible. “Lovers’ Leap” is dynamic, switching between styles and tempo changes almost flawlessly. “Knife Fight” is very captivating, especially the nasty, grimy, stoner rock riff (it has a dirty tone and messy feel that sounds so off-putting but also very delightful). The instrumentation, especially the ending, has tons of wildly different things happening at once, which could have been a complete disaster, but elbow magically makes them flow together. Despite having experimental production and instrumentation, the track still manages to be quite infectious due to Guy Garvey’s powerful vocal performance. Meanwhile, with “The Picture” and “Good Blood Mexico City”, elbow creates super catchy hooks and energetic choruses.

“Her to the Earth” and “Good Blood Mexico City” are the main standouts from the record. The former is a spellbinding combination of funky synth beats, ambient and spacey electronic atmosphere, and heavenly dream pop vocals that are simultaneously comforting and melancholic. Lyrically, it is also one of the strongest from the record, with the line: “We live in a troubling age” really standing out. It is a simple line, but Guy Garvey’s elegant delivery and transcendent instrumentation make it sound incredibly profound and devastating. “Her to the Earth” is one of the best songs I’ve recently heard. The latter has some beautiful guitar fills and head-banging riffs. It also has a sensational chorus and an unforgettable outro that will stick with you long after you finish listening to it.

AUDIO VERTIGO switches between accessible tunes with energetic choruses and peculiar experimental tracks. Not every track is worthwhile, but the ones that hit the mark compensate for them.