Asleep in the Back explained

Asleep in the Back
Type:	studio
Artist:	Elbow
Cover:	Asleepintheback.jpg
Released:	7 May 2001
Recorded:	1997 - 2001
Genre:	Alternative rock art rock progressive rock^[1]
Length:	61:41
Label:	V2
Producer:	Steve Osborne, Ben Hillier, Danny Evans, Elbow
Prev Title:	The Any Day Now EP
Prev Year:	2001
Next Title:	Cast of Thousands
Next Year:	2003

Asleep in the Back is the debut studio album by English rock band Elbow, first released in the United Kingdom on 7 May 2001, and in the United States on 22 January 2002.^[2] The title track, "Asleep in the Back", was only included as a bonus track on later editions of the album after it had been released as a single and became the band's first Top 20 hit.^[3] The album release came in four different versions: the 12-track version, two 11-track versions only featuring either "Asleep in the Back" (later editions) or "Can't Stop" (UK version) and a 10-track version including neither of them. The record was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize in 2001.

Though Asleep in the Back was the first Elbow album to be released, it was not the first to be recorded. An album's worth of recorded material had been scrapped by the band several years earlier after they were dropped by their first major label, Island Records.

A 2CD/1DVD deluxe edition of the album was released in the UK on 2 November 2009. The release included almost all tracks of the near impossible to find The Noisebox EP: a live version of "George Lassoes the Moon" was included instead of the studio version.

Critical reception

Q listed Asleep in the Back as one of the best 50 albums of 2001.^[4]

Track listing

Japanese Bonus Track:

Double 12" vinyl album

2009 Deluxe Edition

Disc one: Same as 12-track version.

Disc two (bonus disc)

Disc three (DVD)

Release history

Country	Date	Label	Format	Catalogue #
United Kingdom	7 May 2001	V2	CD (10 tracks)	VVR1015888
			CD (11 tracks)	VVR1015882
			Double 12" vinyl (one bonus track)	VVR1015881
	11 February 2002		CD (12 tracks)	VVR1019012
United States	22 January 2002			63881-27116-2
Japan	2 May 2001	V2 Japan	CD (one bonus track)	V2CI99
United Kingdom	2 November 2009	Polydor	2CD/1DVD Deluxe Edition	5321322

Singles

In the UK, there were four singles released from the album:

• "Red" (23 April 2001)
• "Powder Blue" (9 July 2001)
• "Newborn" (8 October 2001)
• "Asleep in the Back"/"Coming Second" (4 February 2002)

Also, three EPs preceded the album's release, all of which included versions of songs that later appeared on Asleep in the Back:

• The Noisebox EP (1 January 1998)
• The Newborn EP (7 August 2000)
• The Any Day Now EP (Ugly Man release with 4 tracks) (23 January 2001)
  • V2 also released this EP with 5 tracks (26 February 2001)

Personnel

Elbow

• Guy Garvey – Lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, percussion, analogue synth, wine glasses, harmonica, wybercron
• Mark Potter – Electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals
• Craig Potter – Piano, organ, backing vocals, analogue synth, percussion, wine glasses, keyboards
• Pete Turner – Bass guitar, analogue synth, backing vocals, wine glasses
• Richard Jupp – Drums, percussion, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• The Elbow Choir – Vocals (9,10)
• Danny Evans – Percussion Loops (1)
• Ben Hillier – Percussion (2), Backing Vocals (10)
• Ian Burdge – Cello (2), Musical Director (6)
• Francoise Lemoignan – Saxophone (4)
• Bob Sastri – Brass (5), French Horn (6)
• Nick Coen – Brass (5)
• Martin Field – Bassoon (6)
• Stuart King – Clarinet (6), Bass Clarinet (6)
• Matthew Gunner – French Horn (6)
• Jonathan Snowden – Flute (6), Alto Flute (6)
• Dominic Kelly – Cor Anglais (6)

Credits

• Production
  • Elbow and Danny Evans (1)
  • Elbow (4,8,12)
  • Ben Hillier and Elbow (2,3,5,6,9,10)
  • Steve Osborne (7,11)
• Woodwind Arrangement on Track 6 - Ian Burdge and Elbow
• Recording
  • Danny Evans (1)
  • Ben Hillier (2,3,4,5,6,9,10,12)
  • Andrea Wright (2,3,4,5,6,9,10,12)
  • Elbow (3,8,9,12)
  • Steve Lloyd (4)
  • Ed Chadwick (6)
  • Danton Supple (7,11)
• Mixing
  • Danny Evans (1,8)
  • Ben Hillier (2,4,5,6,7,9,10,12)
  • Andrea Wright (2,4,5,6,7,9,10,12)
  • Ed Chadwick (6)
  • Steve Osborne (11)
  • Clare Lewis (11)
  • Bruno Ellington (11)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Asleep in the Back – Elbow . . 23 October 2022 . Kellman . Andy.
2. Web site: Elbow - Asleep in the Back. Discogs. 7 May 2001 . 2016-03-24.
3. Book: Roberts, Dave . British Hit Singles and Albums . 19th . 2 June 2006 . Guinness World Records Limited . 1-904994-10-5.
4. News: The Best 50 Albums of 2001. Q. December 2001. 60–65.