Customer Reviews

Back Room (Bonus CD)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Agree with the others above that this is a fantastic debut. Happened across it in a Glasgow record shop - they were playing it and I instantly liked it. Certainly tinges of Interpol, even more so of the bands I grew up with like Echo and Big Country. Excellent song writing and a sweet blend of influences to achieve a unique sound. I too feel that this album ranks with Bloc Party as the debut of the year. With more listens, The Back Room is seeming even better due to more intellegent song writing. Worth the import price!

Editor's The Back Room is a solid debut. Though it's steeped in 80s pop culture, and is sure to be dismissed by Interpol-fawning goth kids, it's an intensely focused work for such a young band. And though their influences are there on the surface -- Joy Division, The Cure, Nick Cave, and many more -- their songs are sharp, their lyrics meaningful, the production crisp without overwhelming the passion. The music might be depressive -- or, at the very least, minor chord -- but the lyrics have an outreach beyond the navel-gazing of most of what passes for "goth"; and those are certainly pop hooks I hear on the 11 tracks of the formal CD. And, for good measure, there's a bonus CD called Cuttings with six tracks of thrash and drone.

One of the best albums I have bought in a long time, and it just goes to show that the UK, once again, has produced another great rock 'n' roll band.

The album is energetic and solid all the way through, and a treat to the "The Back Room" import is that the disc is accompanied by an equally wonderful collection of B-sides called "Cuttings".

I recommend this album to anyone who loves bands such as Joy Division, Interpol, and Nick Cave.

3-4 years ago, any of the bands like Editors, Departure, Interpol, Bravery, and a number of others in that line of music, would be simply ignored on the premise "who'd want to listen to 80s goth pop revived"? Interestingly, many of these bands DID exist 3-4 years ago, albeit with no contract and not much looking uppy in their future.

Suddenly they're all handed contracts and are all revered as the saviours of rock. Must be pure coincidence huh? After all, the music industry's history is full of such amazing coincidences.

But to the band itself, the Editors, in my opinion, have the misfortune to have appeared after Interpol and those that followed them. And i say "misfortune" but it is quite plausible that the Editors are actually better than the rest of the lot.

Some might rightfully ask "why", and the answer might lay in the fact that the Editors weren't spooked to go darker than their "competitors", not to mention, that they've got everything the rest of their genre has, possibly even in better quality.

If you've heard all the aforementioned bands there would be no need here to describe the Editors' music as it follows exactly in that line.

But if i were to recommend you one of all these groups i wouldn't hesitate much to name the Editors.

As it usually goes in cases like that, some will be unjustfully propelled to the top, and some unjustfully ignored to oblivion.

I first bought this album after reading a review of upcoming artists that sound like New Order on [...] , so I went ahead and purchased the CD, because after all New Order is my favorite band of all time. Now that I bought the album I realize that some of the songs are similar to past New Order songs, but they also have a mind of their own. "Lights," starts off the cd with a bang and this continues until "Camera." As the next few songs slows down a bit, they then kick back with a bang when "Fingers in the Factories" is played, then followed by "Bullets". I would say this album is in the TOP 10 Albums that I've heard over the past 5 yrs.

'editors?' fortunately what editors (no article 'the') lack in a quality band name, they more than make up for on their debut album.

one of the few bands to actually produce something worthwhile in this whole questionable 'nu wave revival,' editors pack a lot more emotional wallop than nu-wave wannabes like the bravery and the killers. and editors, unlike the bravery and the killers, actually understand what it means to write a decent song. while a lot of the songs do sound reasonably similar, none of the songs come off sounding repetitive. the album is full of great basslines, jackhammer drumming, and kaleidascopic guitars.

tom's vocals are deceptively sincere and heartfelt, in a mortician sort of way. that's not to say, however, that he can't carry a melody, because he sure can--insert comparisons to paul banks, ian mcculloch, and yes, ian curtis here.

vocal queue's aside, editors really know how to write a top notch tune. 'munich' (the best track on the album, in my opinion) is a corker -- swirling guitars, deadpan (but sincere)vocals, soaring chorus and the great line 'with one hand you calm me, with one hand i'm still.' it's one of the year's top singles and should get the band noticed on this side of the pond. *should.*

'back room' is a very solid and promising debut. great vocals and lyrics, infectious hooks, solid musicianship. like most decent bands coming out of the UK, editors will, unfortunately, most likely go unnoticed outside snobby indie music circles. but when tom pronounces an edict like 'you'll speak when your spoken to' on 'munich,' one gets the feeling editors will tell YOU when to listen.

This is a phenomenal CD, which I would definitely recommned to al those who grew up during the 1980's post-punk era. The Editors combine the raw angular guitars of early Echo and the Bunnymen and Psychedelic Furs, the goth doom-and-gloom voices and sounds of Joy Division (and present-day bands like Interpol) and some of the pop sounds of U2 and Tears for Fears. This is the best debut album of 2005, by far.

Each song hits you like a wave of Bullets, making your Blood circulation race! This album is a real classic - it really deserves a 4 1/2 stars rating.Those guitars make me think a great deal about U2 (the drums also do this a bit), but Tom Smith's voice sounds as though he's the Brummie cousin of Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody, but has been taking singing lessons from Interpol's Paul Banks. Those synths also remind me of The Killers suffering cold turkey after coming off Heroin. These factors all contribute, along with Smith's songwriting, to a sound more miserable than Joy Division and Nirvana put together. Each song is either a real heartstring-tugger or is a great anthem (Bullets, Blood) with a driving beat from the powerhouse rhythm section.

I know alot of people are thinking, yes they sound kinda like Intepol, which is one of the reason I like them so much. This is such a well put together album. I would love to hear more from this band in the future!!!

A very solid debut album that ranks with the best of them - what I found interesting is that, just as other reviewers have noted, not only can you hear the early 80's influence of bands like Joy Division, The Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Sound and The Chameleons but at first listen, a near forgotten band from 1990 came to my mind - Kitchens of Distinction - actually, I think the Kitchens vocalist was a greater influence on Interpol and the Editors then Ian C or Ian M - If there's anyone out there that agrees, I'd like to read it!