Customer Reviews

The Back Room

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are lots of bands doing 80s Brit-rock these days: The Killers, Interpol, The Bravery. But here's a novel idea, how `bout Brit-rock from a band that is actually (gasp) British! Hailing from Birmingham these four former Stafford University students have had the U.K press buzzing about their 2005 debut disc The Back Room. Well after months of waiting, The Editors have finally hit the U.S. market.

I will tell you right now I love this disc. I have had it in my play rotation for four solid months (I got it as an import). Yes, they sound a bit like Interpol from the standpoint that both singers have that deadpan sort of Joy Division style going. But I think that The Editors' Tom Smith brings more of a flow and less of a drone to the music. His baritone voice fits in nicely with the overall minor key mood of the songs and never tries to go where it shouldn't.

A more apt comparison of the Editors' sound is to that of 80s alternative bands The Chameleons U.K., Cactus World News and Echo & The Bunnymen. Soaring and edgy guitars layered with just enough minor chords and shadows of goth to be cool but not too depressing. The guitar firepower is not in flashy solos but in mood building chords that instantly catch you and keep you focused and hooked.

"Lights" comes hard and fast right out of the gate while Smith croons, "I've got a million things to say." The bass and drums lay down a blistering pace and the guitars reverb up a storm of melody. Hot on the heels is "Munich," with more of the same guitar power and passion. By this point in the disc you will have already decided whether you love them or not.

The beat keeps driving but the lyrics turn a bit darker on "Blood." As Smith's warbling voice sings, "Blood runs through your veins / That's where our similarity ends." Lies, promises and trust are all themes here. "There's nothing believable in being honest / So cover your lies up / With another promise."

Another high point is "All Sparks" with it's repeating chorus hook of "all sparks will burn out in the end" sung over dark guitar and a slightly slower heavy bass. It reminds me a bit of Bauhaus. Smith belts this song out like an anthem. To top it off he also adds, "You burn like a bouncing cigarette...all sparks will burn out."

The first big noise from The Editors was with the U.K. single "Bullets," which sold out in a single day. Once again we get a soaring guitar hook with the fast-paced lyrics, "You don't need this disease / You don't, you don't need this disease." Here in print it may not seem that cool but believe me, when you hear it you will be instantly sold.

The lads also do well when they slow the pace down a bit. "Fall" and "Camera" both show off the band's ability to deliver intensity and passion without all the guitar bombast. But make no mistake, both songs continue to build throughout and churn up a good guitar noise before they finish. It's a very 80s throwback touch indeed.

But the best of the slow jams is without a doubt, "Open Your Arms." A little pop of drums starts it off very nicely and the guitars are very understated. After a couple of catchy verse - chorus exchanges the guitar begins to echo and the bass starts pounding as the drums get louder and louder. Smith howls above it all, "Open your arms and welcome / Open your arms and welcome...people to your town." The disc really should end right here.

"Distance," is the last track and while it is not a bad song it just doesn't have the power of "Open Your Arms." It is a minor quibble and certainly does not diminish the disc's overall appeal.

The Editors are not perfect on their debut. There is still plenty of room to grow and develop, especially in the lyrics department. Most every song here has a great line or two. So we know they have it within them to come up with really good lyrical hooks. Their next challenge will be to string a bunch of those lines together in a single song. They really didn't do that this time out but I am more than willing to give them a chance to work on it.

The Editors deliver the big, bold minor chord anthem better than any of their contemporaries. As I listen to this disc I can envision these songs sung like stadium rock anthems ala U2. I also know that right now they are a long way from that status and only time will tell where they go. Here's hoping that the Editors find the kind of success that they deserve. Like I said before, I love this disc.

R#

A lot of bands have come close to emulating the retro 80's post-punk sound but, except for Interpol, none have really captured my
attention more than Editors. As soon as I heard "Munich" on the UK XFM radio in early 2005 I was hooked. I had to work a little
bit to find other Editors songs since the album wasn't available here at the time.

Tom Smith's vocals have an earnestness as if he's trying to convince a jury to find him not guilty, as if his life is
at stake. Chris Urbanowicz's razor sharp guitars at times pulse, wail, or soar throughout the album. And Russell Leetch's
bass blends well with Ed Lay's tight drumming.

"Munich" is a song that has to be played loud, one of the most thrilling songs in the last 5 years, and my pick for
single of the year for 2005. "Blood" is another track to be played on repeat and it contains some of the albums'
more memorable lyrics. The opening bars of of my recent fave "Someone Says" are practically a homage to any early U2
song you can think of, with it's driving beat and staccato guitar tones. First single, "Bullets", has less of a melancholy
feel than some of the other tracks and a great thrashing, repeated chorus. There are a couple of slower tracks too, including
"Fall" and "Camera" where Smith employs some simple keyboards.

The bottom line is Editors can write and perform some impressive tunes, songs and riffs that stay in your head days
after you hear them. And I'm hoping for even greater things in their future releases.

For all fans of this album, I would strongly urge you to check out the following releases if you haven't already:

Joy Division - "Unknown Pleasures", "Closer"
The Chameleons - "Script of the Bridge", "Strange Times", "Peel Sessions", "What Does Anything Mean? Basically"
Kitchens of Distinction - "Strange Free World", "The Death of Cool"

It is 2006 already, and we have maybe the first exciting new band of the year. I first heard this record on the Rodney Bingenheimer show one late night. I thought it was a new obscure Interpol track. Of course I heard the whole album, and it seems that there is another band from England who loves Joy Division and some of the more forgotten post-punk bands. Singer Tom Smith even sounds more like Ian Curtis than Paul Banks does. On the first two tracks, Editors have the atmosphere of U2 (1982) more so than Joy Division. Like some post-punk bands, like Echo and The Bunnymen, Editors have a lot of dynamic with their two guitars, rather than being bass driven like Joy Division. Some of the songs like "Blood" and "All Sparks" are very catchy and remarkable. This band is no copyist. There are slow moody pieces and faster dancey songs like "Someone Says" which is more like Bloc Party. When you think that there is nothing left, they come up with a killer track like "Bullets" which has the repeating phrase "You don't need this disease." There is a very hopeful yearning on most of the songs. The presentation is rather sparse and architectural. Most of the songs have one-word titles. Editors is all about saying more with less. I look forward to seeing them play live.

Editors stormed on the UK music scene in early 2005 with the single "Bullets", and haven't looked back since. The band's sound is reminiscent of Echo and the Bunnymen and Interpol (I played the CD to my 15 yr. old daughter and after 2 songs she said "hey, this sounds like Interpol", and she meant it as a compliment).

"The Back Room" (11 tracks, 43 min.) starts off with a 2'30 min. blazing "Lights", with lead singer Tom Smith proclaiming "I've Got A Million Things To Say", and boy, do they ever. Outstanding songs follow: "Munich" (the second single) is mesmerizing, "Blood" (third single) is almost danceable, in a dark kinda way. Other highlights include "All Sparks", the epic "Open Your Arms" and the closer "Distance", but there really isn't a weak track on the album. "Bullets" has just been re-released in the UK as a single, and you can just feel this band is going places.

Many have commented that this album is the UK's response to Interpol's "Turn on the Bright Lights", and I have to agree. This is a near-perfect album, drenched with urgency from beginning to end, just beautiful. It begs the question not if but when this album will find a US release and a US audience. "The Back Room" is easily one of the best albums of 2005. Highly recommended!

I really liked the single "Munich" and thought I'd play samples of the album online to see if the album was worth picking up. I liked what I heard, so I bought the album the week it was released in the U.S. Let me tell you, I LOVE THIS ALBUM. I haven't stopped listening to it! I don't get sick of it - I just play it over and over again. As an added bonus, I was thrilled when I learned they would be playing live in my hometown a few weeks later. I caught the show and had a great time seeing nearly the entire album performed live!

The music is very guitar-driven and keyboards are only lightly used in 2 or 3 songs. This is a GREAT road trip album! They are great driving songs, full of energy. If I had to separate the tracks into favorites, I'd have to say "Blood," "Lights," "Munich," "Bullets" - but the whole album is excellent.

Editors are unique, though it's difficult not to compare them with other good bands. These are my thoughts...

Vocals are reminiscent of: Dead Can Dance, Kitchens of Distinction, She Wants Revenge, Joy Division, Interpol

Music is similar to: Kitchens of Distinction, Interpol, This Picture, EARLY U2, They Might Be Giants, The Proclaimers, Gene

Music is layered and textured like: Catherine Wheel, The Verve, The Cure (a little), EARLY Trash Can Sinatras

ENJOY!!

Look out Interpol, Editors have come out swinging. "Back Room" is a solid debut album, quite possibly one of the best albums of the year. In the past few years that has seen an uprising in post punk/nu wave band, Editors have come out and set the perfect example of how to make dark love songs that make you wanna dance.
Right of, you notice the likeness of Tom's voice to that of Ian Curtis. But once you get past that you'll notice that he has his own identity as he crafts beautiful, meaningful songs without any "nah nahs" or "hey heys". Accompanied by swirling guitars, thumping bass lines and heart pounding drums, These English blokes create music that will actually capture your attention. In my opinion, the best track is "All Sparks" which brings me back to 1985. The drums on this track and heavy and almost made me question if a live drummer was used. The lyrics, although a bit negative, are simply amazing.
In all, "Back Room" is a ray of light that has been long overdue and with I hope they're able to continue with this formula. If your a fan of Interpol, Depeche Mode or even Placebo, This is a must have for your collection.

'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' and another great line 'people are fragile things you should know by now, be careful what you put them through.' it's one of the year's top singles and should get the band noticed on this side of the pond. *should* being the proverbial operative word.

'back room' is a promising debut and hopefully a sign of things to come: 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.

Darker, more dynamic, catchier hooks than Interpol's Turn On The Bright Lights. The singer's intensity carries the same urgency as the British Sea Power debut. The opening track "Lights" will take no prisoners; "Munich" - a sing along hit; "Bullets" is unforgettable - using the word "disease" like early Ian McCulloch, The Back Room delivers post-punk ala 2006 (2005 UK).

As far as live performance: if they don't come to a town close by, travel if you have the time. It was like watching British Sea Power, early Echo, Joy Division, Gang Of Four, Wedding Present and Catherine Wheel all in one. If you love this album, you will not be let down live - more than magical stuff.

This is a great effort but for ME for buying this great album. Sure a lot of people can say that this sounds like Interpol, but then again we should say that Interpol and Editors sound like Joy Division the greatest influential band in the last 2 decades. Buy this! Is worth your money.

Interpol is my favorite band and the fact that Editors sound remotely like them does not bother me at all. Tom Smith has a voice reminiscent of Paul Banks and even Eddie Vedder at times, however he makes it his own. My favorite songs are "Lights", "Munich", "Fall", "All Sparks", "Fingers in the Factories", and "Open Your Arms". I'm going to San Francisco to see them at the end of April. I've heard they're amazing live and I don't doubt it one bit. I've heard San Diego radio stations playing "Munich" already and Rodney on the Roq in L.A plays it on his show sunday nights. The comparison will always exist, but any music lover should appreciate Editors! Oh, and by the way, it's Editors. Not THE Editors. Just Editors. I wonder why they didn't add THE. Maybe because it's not THE Interpol.