Manchester is a town at the very heart and soul of British music. Bands the likes of The Hollies, the Bee Gees, Simply Red, The Fall, Joy Division, The Smiths, The Stone Roses and Oasis form a musical legacy that's second to none. In 2001, Elbow became the city's latest musical crown jewel after their debut record Asleep at the Back was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Their brand of progressive, gloomy yet evocative rock has brought them plaudits and critical recognition while also separating themselves from the soft, acoustic based rock that dominates the UK charts. Coldplay they are not, but that's a good thing. The band released their latest effort, titled The Seldom Seen Kid, earlier this week and they start their US tour tomorrow in New York City. Their show Sunday at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue is one of two shows they'll be playing on the East Coast. We spoke to front man and lyricist Guy Garvey yesterday (he's the dashing looking chap in the middle of the photo to the right), just a few hours after he stepped off a flight from England.

It's very rock 'n roll of you to take a transatlantic flight and start doing interviews as soon as you hit the ground.

Ah man, it's not the hardest job in the world, I don't care what any of them tell you.

I wanted to start out by talking about your new record, The Seldom Seen Kid. I read that it entered the UK charts at #5.

Yeah, we're delighted about it.

And the record is inspired by your friend Bryan?

Yeah, our friend actually. Bryan Clancy. He was a Manchester singer/songwriter for many years and one of our very good friends and he suddenly passed away years ago. So it's about everything that comes with that situation.

All the feelings that you have to go through...

Well, we're all in our early 30's, which is way too young to lose a contemporary. And that just makes you re-evaluate your life and consider your mortailty on the one hand but also appreciate your friends a little more and appreciate what you have a little more. It certainly made me feel that way. I suddenly felt like I had so much to do and not enough time to do it. But those are all selfish emotions attached to what was essentially a tragedy. But in many ways, it's not just a record about death.

It sounds a little more laid back than your previous effort, Leaders of the Free World. Would it be fair to say that that record was your "angry" album, like you guys weren't afraid to turn up the volume to make your point? It sounds like there's a little less than that on the new record.

Yes. Things change, you know. But don't get me wrong, I still get annoyed by stuff. But I've already made that point. And I wasn't trying to refine the band as a political act. I was just doing what I felt like everyone should do. Which is put your hand up and say what side you are on.

Absolutely. I think that's an admirable thing.

Aye. I don't think it's a musicians right or responsibility anymore than it is a postman's or a teacher's. Whatever your job is, I think, if you enjoy the privileges of society at some point if you're in a high enough state of emergency, you've got to stamp your foot.

This album was self-produced?

Yeah. Our keyboardist Craig took the helm. We've always self-produced our records and we've an increasing hand in it as time's gone on. A lot of stuff on Cast of Thousands was from demos we had made. The only difference between a demo and a recording is what you call it, I guess.

There was a stark difference between your debut record, which has these beautiful textures and dense layers, and Cast of Thousands, which is fairly sparse.

Yeah, and kinda cold. Asleep at the Back was introducing ourselves to everybody because we had no idea what happens when you release a record and everyone gets into it. We made music for so long for just us and a few friends. I mean, no one had ever asked me about my lyrics until the first record came out. It was greated so warmly by the press all over the world. To be honest it made me really frightened.

I can imagine. You were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. One day you were a nobody and then, boom. It's like going from zero to 60.

It was madness. And I found myself floundering, because as the front man and lyricist you're pulled out of the lineup because it's easier to talk to one voice. And I suppose it's easier to talk about lyrics than it is bass lines.

And you're front and center. You're the face of the band.

I suppose that after the first record I was worried that my mates would look at me differently. And maybe the rest of the band was going to say, "Why is he getting all the attention." But they were like, "No, what are you talking about? That's what happens."

So yeah, our first one, we didn't know what to expect. On our second one it was just so bewildered. I think we wrote some of our most romantic songs on that record.

It definitely took me longer to get into that record. I listened to it a few times and couldn't get into it, but came back to it a year or two later and was like "Wow, this is brilliant."

I think really, myself, I cherry pick on that record. I get hung up on "Switching Off" and "Fugitive Motel" really. Although "Grace Under Pressure" is a good one for different reasons. It's got some wonderful memories connected to it.

The band has been pigeonholed a bit as a "critics darling," but all of your records have debuted in the top 15 of the UK charts. So obviously the people like you to.

[laughs] You mean people, as opposed to the critics?

Right. Every record review written about you seems to say "This is a great record, but it's not going to be the one that breaks them."

It's a funny thing isn't it? We've lived comfortably for 10 years off of making records.

And obviously you don't go into the studio saying "THIS is going to be the one that will break us."

No. [laughs] No. I think if anything, this record has a song on it that's perhaps the most commercial thing we've ever written. It's such a bewildering thing to get your head around. A lot of time it's not what people want to hear on the radio, in fact most of the time it has more to do with what radio programmers and pluggers decide people want to hear on the radio, which is simple and homogenized and ultimately very positive.

Speaking of the music industry, you guys have a bit of history with label troubles.

Ummm, yeah.

By that I mean your first record got shelved when after signing to Island Records, the label was bought by Universal.

In a manner of speaking. I couldn't possibly confirm or deny that when they told us that we couldn't release that record, that one of us went to the record company and told the secretary that we were there to pick up the masters...Of course I couldn't possibly confirm or deny that, because we're working for Universal again.

That was my next question. Do you find that ironic?

Well, yeah. [laughs heartily] Of course I do.

You're on a new label here in the US, so does that mean we're going to seeing more of you in the future?

I certainly hope so. It's one of those things, it's a tough one. I mean, some of the guys have young families. But we'll certainly be out here more than we have for the last two and a half years. And I'm really hoping we'll tour three times a year.

Has anyone told you anything about the Synagouge, the venue that you're playing in D.C.?

All I've heard is that it's a beautiful venue.

The acoustics there are brilliant. I couldn't imagine a better place for you to play.

Wow. That's cool. I can't wait to see it.

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Elbow play the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue Sunday night. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here.