Dead in the Boot is a B-sides compilation album by English rock band Elbow, released in the UK on 27 August 2012. The title is a reference to the band's debut album Asleep in the Back and was suggested by singer Guy Garvey's sister Beckie.[1]

Dead in the Boot
Compilation album by
Released27 August 2012
Recorded1997–2012
GenreAlternative rock, indie rock
Length51:33
LabelFiction, Polydor
ProducerBen Hillier, Craig Potter, Elbow
Elbow chronology
Build a Rocket Boys!
(2011)
Dead in the Boot
(2012)
The Take Off and Landing of Everything
(2014)

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [2]
BBC Musicfavourable[3]
The Daily Telegraph     [4]
The Independent     [5]
Mojo     [6]
NME7/10[7]
Slant Magazine     [8]

The reviews for the album were mostly positive, with many reviewers commenting on the overall downbeat nature of the songs. NME noted that "there is a strain of nocturnal lethargy that seems to run through Elbow's flipsides... it's odd that its somnolent air actually renders it slightly one-note... But there's nothing wrong with a gentle head massage after a hard night."[7] The Daily Telegraph described the tracks as "mostly steady, lo-fi grooves, propelled by blue-collar bluesy riffs, detached electronic bleeps and mournful pianos", and stated that "in the best possible sense, these songs are come-downs, reflective descents from the band's often soaring, more melody-driven A-sides. They may have been left in the band's boot for a while, but there's nothing dead about them."[4] Mojo called it "an accomplished compilation" and proclaimed that "Dead in the Boot is less throwaway than its name suggests."[6]

BBC Music said "This is more than just a stopgap between the albums, and while not exactly standing alongside their best in terms of outright quality, shows that even Elbow's 'hidden' past is worthy of deeper exploration."[3] The Independent had some criticisms, saying that the album was "far from exhaustive, with tracks cherry-picked for quality and sequenced non-chronologically. Indeed, if anything, there's a touch too many of the tender piano ostinatos", but overall opining that "most B-sides compilations seem to have been thrown together to fulfil contracts but Dead in the Boot has a form and substance beyond that".[5]

Track listing

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All lyrics are written by Guy Garvey; all music is composed by Elbow

No.TitleOriginally fromLength
1."Whisper Grass""Fallen Angel" CD single, 20034:30
2."Lucky with Disease""Newborn" CD single, 20013:44
3."Lay Down Your Cross""Not a Job" CD single, 20044:41
4."The Long War Shuffle""Leaders of the Free World" CD single, 20054:14
5."Every Bit the Little Girl""One Day Like This" 7" vinyl single, 20084:25
6."Love Blown Down""Fugitive Motel" CD single, 20034:30
7."None One"The Newborn EP, 20003:44
8."Lullaby""One Day Like This" CD single, 20083:15
9."McGreggor""Forget Myself" 7" vinyl single, 20052:40
10."Buffalo Ghosts""Open Arms" 10" vinyl single, 20113:37
11."Waving from Windows""Grace Under Pressure"/"Switching Off" CD single, 20044:14
12."Snowball"Help!: A Day in the Life album, 20055:01
13."Gentle As""Leaders of the Free World" 7" vinyl single, 20052:58
Total length:51:33

Personnel

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Elbow
  • Guy Garvey – vocals, slide guitar on "The Long War Shuffle", string, percussion, brass & choral arrangements
  • Mark Potter – guitars
  • Craig Potter – keys, percussion
  • Pete Turner – bass
  • Richard Jupp – drums, percussion

Release history

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Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom 27 August 2012 CD, LP, digital download Polydor
United States 19 November 2012 CD, LP, digital download Xenon

References

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  1. ^ Announcement of album's release date and details on Elbow's official website, 17 July 2012 Archived 21 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  2. ^ Monger, James Christopher. Elbow – Dead in the Boot > Review at AllMusic
  3. ^ a b Fyfe, Andy (29 August 2012). "Review: Elbow – Dead in the Boot". BBC Music. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  4. ^ a b Brown, Helen (24 August 2012). "Review: Elbow – Dead in the Boot". The Daily Telegraph. London, England. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  5. ^ a b Gill, Andy (25 August 2012). "Review: Elbow – Dead in the Boot". The Independent. London, England: Independent Print Ltd. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  6. ^ a b Prior, Clive (October 2012). "Review: Elbow – Dead in the Boot". Mojo (227). London, England: Bauer Media Group: 100.
  7. ^ a b Cashmore, Pete (24 August 2012). "Review: Elbow – Dead in the Boot". NME. London, England: IPC Media. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  8. ^ Douramacos, Yorgo (27 November 2012). "Review: Elbow – Dead in the Boot". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 9 June 2014.