There's something quietly impressive about the way Elbow have gone about their career. The Bury five-piece have never been nearly as fashionable as, say, Coldplay or Keane, but their soulful brand of gloomy indie-rock has an emotional depth that's the equal of anyone. Their third album is probably their best to date, simply because the tunes are sharper and the songs get to the point with a minimum of fuss. And while frontman Guy Garvey doesn't have the messianic fervour of Richard Ashcroft, there's an immense dignity to his gruff vocals that recalls the best moments of the Verve. As wonderful as these urban hymns are, Elbow are probably too grim to ever be really cool. They'll just have to settle for being a great band instead.

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