Lisztomania

The time has come where you start to see everyone's "end of year" lists, from the pages of NME, Mojo, Uncut, Rolling Stone et al, to the outer regions of t'internet such us here.

This year also co-inciding with the end of the decade, it's a good time for everyone to go list crazy.

Best songs, best albums, best artists, of the year, of the decade, etc.

All will differ, as they should. Many will draw praise & criticism, some in equal measure.

As is my nature, I'm gonna take a random approach to this list business, posting daily(ish) my thoughts on whatever occupies my mind as I ponder the year(s) gone by.

Tempting as it is, I can't just sit here and say "right, Heartbreaker was the best album of the decade" and list all those that sit behind it. These things take time & thought, so I'm hoping my random approach will lead to some comprehensive and well considered list come year end & the start of the next.

So, without further a-do, I'll start here...

Elbow - Asleep In The Back



The title track, originally left off the brilliant debut album, first appeared as a standalone single (well, a double-A with 'Coming Second' off the same album), and blew me away.

My first experience of Elbow was 'Any Day Now' late night on Xfm, which pricked my ears enough to recall it when 'Red' later surfaced. A further dalliance with the album 'Asleep In The Back' (which deservedly gets the 'deluxe' treatment in time for Xmas) confirmed my thoughts on this special band.

'Scattered Black & Whites' had demonstrated a similar sonic awareness, and to follow the album with this single was a masterstroke. It's lyrical sparseness & simplicity ("all the things I never talk about are spilling with the gin") complementing the delicate sounds that support it, it remains perfect to these ears.

Elbow have of course risen to greater heights since, and have provided more heartstopping moments over the last 7 / 8 years, but this track remains at the top for me.