Elbow are back and have announced the release of a brand new album called ‘Flying Dream 1’.

The Mercury-winning indie veterans’ ninth studio LP – the follow-up to 2019’s ‘Giants Of All Sizes’ – was written remotely in their home studios in Manchester and London before they came together at an empty Brighton Theatre Royal to “perfect, perform, and record” the songs.

“Hiring a two hundred year old theatre that has never in its history been closed for so long was something that could only be done under the circumstances….nice to turn it on its head in that way,” frontman Guy Garvey said of the unique experience.

“Recording in a splendid generous space with no audience was something that throws an anchor in the times that the record was made in.”

The creation of the album began after the band recorded the ‘elbowrooms’ sessions for YouTube during last year’s first lockdown. They started sending each other “little love notes” over the weeks and months, and these sketches gradually became songs.

“We realised we were making a record free of the usual creative guidelines,” noted Garvey. “We love patient, quiet, whole albums like the last Talk Talk records. John Martyns ‘Sold Air’ and ‘Bless the Weather’, PJ Harvey’s ‘Is This Desire’, ‘Chet Baker Sings’, the Blue Nile’s ‘Hats’. Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds of Love’ & Van Morrison’s ‘Astral Weeks’.

“We’ve always written songs like this, but it felt natural to make an album that focuses on the gentler side of our music.”

elbow’s 9th studio album ‘Flying Dream 1’ is released on 19.11.21. Pre-order: https://t.co/5g9wuL4o00

‘Flying Dream 1’ was written remotely in the band’s home studios before coming together at the empty Brighton Theatre Royal to perfect, perform, and record the songs. pic.twitter.com/ZDahZuwz18

— elbow (@Elbow) September 1, 2021

He continued: “There have been challenges, but through them writing together remotely was a lifeline. It’s bruised and wistful, nostalgic, and thankful. We’re so lucky that all our family and friends are safe. It’s about that love”

Discussing the band’s relationship with one another and how it played into the creation of ‘Flying Dream 1’, Garvey added: “We don’t phone each other for a chat. We don’t talk about life outside the music until we’re together. These hushed night-time missives told us how each other were doing.

“When we finally got together, all that was to do was record the songs, honour them with amazing additional singers and players in a gorgeous space and catch up. It was beautiful.”

Due to arrive on November 19, you can pre-order / pre-add Elbow’s ‘Flying Dream 1’ here – see the tracklist for the album below.

1. ‘Flying Dream 1’
2. ‘After the Eclipse’
3. ‘Is It a Bird’
4. ‘Six Words’
5. ‘Calm and Happy’
6. ‘Come On, Blue’
7. ‘The Only Road’
8. ‘Red Sky Radio (Baby Baby Baby)’
9. ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’
10. ‘What Am I Without You’

Elbow kick off their UK tour today (September 1) at Plymouth Pavilions. Fans attending the shows will be able to pre-order a special double CD version of ‘Flying Dream 1’

Earlier this year, Elbow released a collection of rare tracks to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their acclaimed debut album ‘Asleep In The Back’.