Elbow have always felt like something of a guilty pleasure to me – perhaps because their music is so unabashedly romantic and sincere. Too often artists that can be labeled as ‘earnest’ walk a dangerous line of self importance, however Elbow – and specifically Guy Garvey’s lyrics and delivery – manage to discuss matters of the heart with a wry smile that makes the songs entirely relatable.

Little Fictions is suitably downbeat without being somber, but also without attempting to force the big unifying choruses that, for many people, their name is synonymous. The album is not one of their most cohesive, but since it was released last month I have found many of the melodies ingrained in my brain, with highlights being K2, Firebrand & Angel and Trust the Sun.

Originally published in The AU Review