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Leaders Of The Free World
words by Stuart Stubbs
It’s been positively described as a heart-wrenching break up album, whilst others have argued that Elbow’s third studio release is more of the same from Guy Garvey and Co. The truth is, for all the sobbing and despair, there is an equal sense of overwhelming hope within ‘Leaders Of The Free World’ and with it comes a masterpiece, head and shoulders above its preceding relatives.
It could have been a rocky road between smiles and tears but thanks to the likes of ‘My Very Best’ and its bittersweet epitaph – “You’ve gone and made a beautiful hole in my heart.” – the aching loss of ‘The Everthere’ and joyous chiming victory of ‘Forget Myself’ is seamlessly bridged. What’s more is Garvey delivers every word with a swoon to warm the most frozen of souls. There is nothing not to applaud on this record.
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