Build a Rocket Boys!

iTunes Review

Building on the success of their previous release The Seldom Scene Kid, Elbow return with a soulful, groove-oriented art rock album. The storyline in Build a Rocket Boys! takes a sincere yet unsentimental look at aging, the importance of family and friends, and the value and challenges of following your dreams. The album features inventive, intricate arrangements built on lushly textured layers of guitars, echoing pianos, organ, and gorgeous vocals throughout. They even use choirs to good effect. The drum and bass provide a moody trip-hop feel and an overall warm and inviting atmosphere. While poetic, the lyrics are clear, linear, and sweetly nostalgic, and each song is like a mini opera without the bombast. The centerpiece of the album is the mesmerizing “Lippy Kids”, which examines the joy and angst of the teen years from the perspective of an older man who rhetorically urges the kids to seize the day — “Do they know these days are golden?/Build a rocket, boys!” It may not be a causal listen, but Build a Rocket Boys! isn’t difficult either, and it rewards close attention paid to both the elegant musicianship and the story it tells.