Elbow – “Six Words”Elbow – “Six Words”

Back in September, Elbow announced their new album, Flying Dream 1, and earlier this month they shared its lead single, “The Seldom Seen Kid.” Now, the Manchester indie favorites have shared a gorgeous second song from their forthcoming effort titled “Six Words.”

“Six Words” is a sprawling love ballad that opens with elegant piano and evolves into an even-keeled rhythm as the band croons in compelling harmony. Frontman Guy Garvey expanded on the track in a statement:

I can’t remember the exact genesis of the track, but it is definitely one of Craig’s. In some ways it’s familiar territory lyrically, it has similar sentiments to “Mirrorball” but it draws heavily on my teenage years: the bottle green in the song is the colour of my school uniform and the six lanes is the traffic on the road to school in Prestwich. Though that six lanes line was something I originally wrote back in the early elbow days when I sat in The Cornerhouse people watching so it’s a double reminisce and a return to my love of writing about love.

The musical revelation came when we heard the backing singers that now end the track. We had this pyramid of voices making something incredible that reminded me of the early classic Disney soundtracks. It was so powerful that we knew we had to throw the spotlight onto them so that is why they end the track.

Listen to “Six Words” below.

Flying Dream 1 is out 11/19.