Just been flicking around YouTube - and honestly thought I'd clicked on the wrong song, first time I've heard it.

Can anyone tell me anymore about this arrangement of a song I've played a lot recently and gone from being totally non plussed by it, to liking.

Don't like this version, I must say..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c27xUxK63mU&feature=related

Personally i think this is the best song on Cast of Thousands
I cant count how many times i've found myself humming/singing along to the chorus quietly to myself.

I do agree that the album version is a lot better than the version with the video
The video version seems like they've almost tried to commercialise it, and as a result made it worse.

I don't know why the song was arranged differently for the video, and I don't think this mix was ever released commercially. It doesn't really "fit" the Cast-era; maybe that's why the song wasn't released this way.

I'm not opposed to it, though. I'm actually liking it, and the more I listen, the more I like it. There are some interesting sonic things going on. Even though it sounds a bit more commercial and a bit un-Elbow-like (I keep thinking it sounds like an R.E.M. song or a Wallflowers song), this mix works for me as an Elbow song. I don't think of Elbow as a guitar band (no offense, Mark Potter!), which is why the prominent guitar work stands out so much, but it's a compelling and creative guitar line. I'm also impressed with the echo effects on Guy's vocal in the chorus; it lends the song an air of unreality that matches the ambiguity of the lyric ("The dream again nobody understands").

I've always loved "Not a Job" (I put it in my "top ten Elbow songs", after all), and this version is making me discover unexpected things in an old friend.

Yes, I do like this mix. I'll take it over the Deadly Avenger Divine Wind mix any day.

ETA: It appears that the video features a special radio mix the band did. I'm going to have to track that CD down....

Prefer the album version but interested to know more about this version. Was it ever available on CD?

As a promo CD to radio stations. Look here.

Wow I remember seeing the video way back when but never realised it was a different version! It's probably because I wasn't too keen on the sound/vibe of this on COT anyway, and only realised what a good song this is when they released an acoustic version on a B-side, which I love.

So, I've acquired the promo CD of the radio edit of "Not a Job." And it is the version of the song in the video.

The only song on the CD is "Not a Job." It runs 3:49.

Credits on the CD sleeve read as follows:

Quote:

music by elbow words by guy garvey co-produced by ben hiller for 140dB and elbow additional production by mark 'spike' stent mixed by mark 'spike' stent programming - les groves 2nd assistant - rob hoggett assisted by david trehearn published by salvation music

The first three are the same credits from Cast of Thousands. The rest -- Stent, Groves, Hoggett, and Trehearn -- are new.

The more I listen to it, the more I really like this mix.

I am not sure if I love the video mix yet. I agree that the guitar makes an interesting contribution on this version, and it's quite good, but I am hearing a conscious attempt to steer it into chart-band territory with that being emphasized so much. It gives it a real radio-friendly sound, but it removes a wee bit of the original charm. The Wallflowers reference was not too far off base at all - I can totally hear that in places. Definitely a cool find, though - thanks for posting the vid link, MBV, and for all the info about this mix, Allyn!