Giants of All Sizes
by Elbow
  • Record Label: Polydor
  • Release Date: Oct 11, 2019
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 31 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 31
  3. Negative: 4 out of 31
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  1. tRikyRiky
    Mar 19, 2023
    0
    Dark times create lasting impressions and often crises of faith and feelings of deeply felt loss. Giants of All Sizes is Elbow as a broke down and cynically angry antihero. Trying with all the heart and wisdom a band can muster to portray what they feel in times of distress, Elbow honestly and almost begrudgingly gives us a portrait of tragedy, sadness, and chaos and does it in a way thatDark times create lasting impressions and often crises of faith and feelings of deeply felt loss. Giants of All Sizes is Elbow as a broke down and cynically angry antihero. Trying with all the heart and wisdom a band can muster to portray what they feel in times of distress, Elbow honestly and almost begrudgingly gives us a portrait of tragedy, sadness, and chaos and does it in a way that only Elbow can. This album is a fantastic listen and while the messages may be bleak and to the point, the music is magnificent. This is a band that is ageing well and they have created an excellent discography. Giants of All Sizes is a must have for any Elbow library completion.… Expand
  2. Elbownian
    Oct 20, 2019
    9
    Another great album, and this one updates thes angst and tension in their first two lps by adding current events, both personal and political. Guy Garvey is always great when he rages!
  3. dvdjr_01
    Oct 18, 2019
    10
    A great change of pace as Elbow timingly embraces frustration, angst, and an overall darker tone --all while remaining every bit as heartfelt and poetic as they've always been.
  4. Aleonzzz
    Oct 17, 2019
    9
    Nothing has really come close to The Seldom Seen Kid until now. I have listened to Giants of all Sizes non-stop all week and not got bored once. It contains some simply gorgeous melodies and some genuinely heart-felt moments of vocal delivery that jump out at me especially in My Trouble.

    It was White Noise, White Heat that first made me sit up and pay attention. Overall, this is a    Nothing has really come close to The Seldom Seen Kid until now. I have listened to Giants of all Sizes non-stop all week and not got bored once. It contains some simply gorgeous melodies and some genuinely heart-felt moments of vocal delivery that jump out at me especially in My Trouble.

    It was White Noise, White Heat that first made me sit up and pay attention. Overall, this is a melancholic album but seems to convey the joy of living still. There are some interesting rhythms and arrangements to keep you happy for many listens. A 2019 must!    … Collapse
  5. BirthdayBee
    Oct 14, 2019
    9
    A definitive Elbow release. it still retains the elegance of recent records whilst harking back to the melancholic, experimental edges that informed earlier material. Dark but hopeful, bleak yet beautiful, this is a truly stunning return.
  6. kadoka
    Oct 14, 2019
    8
    I agree with the professional critics on this one. While it does stray from typical Elbow territory, this is a very accomplished album. I think the best stuff on the album had already been released as singles, so there were very little surprises in that respect. The unreleased tracks are perhaps a little underwhelming and maybe a tad disappointing. That being said, one track they hadn'tI agree with the professional critics on this one. While it does stray from typical Elbow territory, this is a very accomplished album. I think the best stuff on the album had already been released as singles, so there were very little surprises in that respect. The unreleased tracks are perhaps a little underwhelming and maybe a tad disappointing. That being said, one track they hadn't released as a single,My Trouble, is probably my favourite, melody-wise, the most gorgeous thing Elbow have ever produced. As always, it is the lyrics where Elbow really excel. Perhaps my only real criticism of this album is that it is way too short. I enjoyed it as much, if not slightly more than Little Fictions. I think composition wise, this is an album you have to listen to as an album, whereas Little Fictions was more like a compilation of singles. Best album since their debut? Perhaps.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Best Album of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. PopMatters
    Oct 23, 2019
    80
    In its compositional diversity and its thoughtful commentary on the troubles we face, Giants sounds like a perfect accompaniment to this troubled period in human history.
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  2. musicOMH.com
    Oct 15, 2019
    90
    There might be more anger, darkness and politics on this album but Giants Of All Sizes shows they are still fundamentally one of the best bands around at offering consolation and comfort when the surrounding turbulence threatens to get too much.
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  3. Paste Magazine
    Oct 14, 2019
    80
    Though the atmosphere surrounding Giants of All Sizes is much heavier than on any of the band’s other records this decade, Garvey still finds some hope through it all. The final three songs (“My Trouble,” “On Deronda Road” and “Weightless”) are optimistic as he discovers strength in his loved ones and friends in the reverberation of all of the recent negative events in his life.
    Read full review
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