Leaders of the Free World
Encyclopedia
Leaders of the Free World is the third studio album from the British rock band Elbow
, released on 12 September 2005 in the UK and 21 February 2006 in the US on the V2
record label. The Japanese version of the album (released on 7 September 2005) features two bonus tracks, "McGreggor" and "The Good Day", which were both B-sides to the first single "Forget Myself". Leaders of the Free World was entirely self-produced at Blueprint Studios in Salford, Manchester
, a space the band hired for the duration of their recording sessions. The album reached number 12 on the British albums chart.
The band teamed up with video artists The Soup Collective to produce an integrated music and video DVD to accompany the album. In the UK, there was a limited edition release of the CD and the DVD in a gatefold sleeve. When released in the US, initial limited copies contained the bonus DVD (with alternatively-colored green artwork).
The song "Mexican Standoff" was also recorded in Spanish. This version appears as a B-side to the "Leaders of the Free World" single.
The album was certified gold (sales of 100,000) in the UK by the BPI
on the 24 April 2009.
by Genesis
. This is, however, completely coincidental, as the cover's designer has never even seen the Genesis cover art. The album cover depicts five characters from the songs on the album itself:
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
, released on 12 September 2005 in the UK and 21 February 2006 in the US on the V2
V2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
record label. The Japanese version of the album (released on 7 September 2005) features two bonus tracks, "McGreggor" and "The Good Day", which were both B-sides to the first single "Forget Myself". Leaders of the Free World was entirely self-produced at Blueprint Studios in Salford, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, a space the band hired for the duration of their recording sessions. The album reached number 12 on the British albums chart.
The band teamed up with video artists The Soup Collective to produce an integrated music and video DVD to accompany the album. In the UK, there was a limited edition release of the CD and the DVD in a gatefold sleeve. When released in the US, initial limited copies contained the bonus DVD (with alternatively-colored green artwork).
The song "Mexican Standoff" was also recorded in Spanish. This version appears as a B-side to the "Leaders of the Free World" single.
The album was certified gold (sales of 100,000) in the UK by the BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
on the 24 April 2009.
Album cover
The album cover is highly reminiscent of the 1976 album A Trick of the TailA Trick of the Tail
-B Side:*This is the first song in the Genesis catalogue to feature an ellipsis in its name, used to convey the mysteriousness of the track. All future issues of this track omit the elipsis, however....
by Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
. This is, however, completely coincidental, as the cover's designer has never even seen the Genesis cover art. The album cover depicts five characters from the songs on the album itself:
- The ticket conductor from the train in "Station Approach" (or possibly the bus conductor in "Great Expectations").
- The bouncer ("the man at the door") from "Forget Myself." During "An Imagined Affair," Garvey sings "I drink until the doorman is a Christmas tree" possibly meaning the same character.
- The man "kicking up mischief" and drinking from "Picky Bugger" (or possibly the man who drinks "until the doorman is a Christmas tree" in "An Imagined Affair").
- A Mexican, from "Mexican Standoff."
- A man needing patching up, with tea and a bike pump, as in "Puncture Repair."
Track listing
Japanese version
DVD
Singles
In the UK, there were two singles released from the album:- "Forget MyselfForget Myself"Forget Myself" is Elbow's first single from the album Leaders of the Free World, released in three formats: two CD singles and one 7" vinyl. One of the CDs was a Maxi-CD Single released on an Enhanced CD...
" (August 29, 2005) - "Leaders of the Free World" (November 7, 2005)
Additional musicians
- Alexis Smith and Jason Boshoff - additional programming on "Forget Myself", "Leaders of the Free World" and "My Very Best"
- Jote Osahn and Stella Page - strings on "Forget Myself" and "My Very Best"
- Strings arranged by Elbow, additional arrangement by Marius de VriesMarius de VriesMarius Van Wyk de Vries is an English music producer and composer. He has been behind some of the key albums and soundtracks of recent times, gathering five Grammy nominations, two BAFTAs, and an Ivor Novello award along the way.-Music Producer:...
- Strings arranged by Elbow, additional arrangement by Marius de Vries
- Dylan Jupp - laughter on "Mexican Standoff"
External Links
- Soup Collective website - includes information about the making of the Leaders of the Free World DVD