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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Leaders Of The Free World
by Elbow
This is the self-produced third album for the Manchester, England band.
| LABEL: |
V2 |
| RELEASE DATE: |
21 February 2006 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Indie, Rock |
NOTES: Original UK release 27 Sep 2005.
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
100
Playlouder
Few albums are this evocative, and 'Leaders of the Free World' is a thing of rare beauty indeed.
100
Under The Radar
Elbow have always been the most intelligent band in Britain. Now they're the most exciting, too. [#12, p.91]
91
Spin
Rife with acid-burn guitars, levee-breaking drums, and vocals that recall Peter Gabriel at his wooziest. [Feb 2006, p.87]
91
Entertainment Weekly
The gloom-rock tunes are as sophisticated as ever. [24 Feb 2006, p.64]
91
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Leaders Of The Free World contains songs as heavy and epic as the neo-prog of Elbow's first two albums, but it's strongest at its quietest.
91
Stylus Magazine
Right now Elbow are hitting an emotional pitch no one else is managing; one more personal and more potent than those that might be considered their competition.
90
New Musical Express
A masterpiece.
80
Dot Music
A... winning blend of seemingly spontaneous, humanised warmth and brooding, existential contemplation.
80
Q Magazine
This is certainly no party album, and its colours are almost exclusively monochrome, but its majesty reigns supreme. [Sep 2005, p.112]
80
The Guardian
Retains Elbow's best qualities - embittered romanticism and pretty, twisty melodies - while infusing them with hooks galore.
80
Mojo
[A] deft combination of emotional intimacy and musical ambition. [Oct 2005, p.108]
80
No Ripcord
Endearingly sorrowful without descending into outright misery, Leaders Of The Free World is exactly what we the listeners should expect from a band's third album.
80
PopMatters
Leaders Of The Free World is an ambitious and beautiful album that confirms Elbow as one of the bands of our generation.
80
Blender
Elbow's lifeblood is equal parts rain and alcohol. [Mar 2006, p.111]
80
All Music Guide
Leaders of the Free World is a bit more rock & roll than not, with guts and heart, because Elbow have finally embraced their powerful, surrounding space this time out.
75
Lost At Sea
A mostly brilliant, though occasionally lackluster, album.
70
Tiny Mix Tapes
It's probably the worst Elbow album yet.
70
Paste Magazine
Leaders Of The Free World would seem by-the-book Brit rock, if it weren't for Guy Garvey. Gruff but generous, with a voice like Peter Gabriel minus the ego, Garvey masters the role of sensitive frontman by staying grounded. [Feb/Mar 2006, p.104]
62
Pitchfork
Why, pray tell, did Elbow decide to start sounding less like Radiohead rip-offs and more like midlife-crisis Travis?
60
Uncut
It's certainly more assured and less wilfully angsty than Cast Of Thousands. However, it still lacks the special unified mood or thread of Asleep. [Oct 2005, p.110]
60
ShakingThrough.net
The back end of the album trundles along, failing to rival the opening energy or offer anything as interesting as the non-anthemic detours.
60
Slant Magazine
The album is a reverb-laced dirge, a slow-motion version of "you're prettier after three beers." Unfortunately, Elbow's lyrics--while plenty fatigued, especially coming from the disinterested vocal cords of lead singer Guy Garvey--are pretty sober.
60
Prefix Magazine
Presenting four or five great songs on any fifty-minute album is a rare gift, and on Leaders of the Free World, these bittersweet Brits prove to be worthy rainy-day companions.
40
Rolling Stone
What it lacks are top-quality tunes.
30
Alternative Press
It's not that Elbow's half-Travis, half-early-Radiohead Britpop shoegaze routine is patently shitty; it's just hopelessly forgettable. [Mar 2006, p.134]
The average user rating for this album is 8.9 (out of 10) based on 53 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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