All Sparks Will Burn Out In The End (The Back Room - Editors)

Member Name: Andy.mack

Product:	The Back Room - Editors
Date:	11/10/05 (838 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A decent album with some fantastic lyrics and well written tracks

Disadvantages: At least one filler, a lot of unfulfilled promise in the sound

Over the last couple of years the number of new bands to arrive on the British music scene has been an ever increasing number. It wouldn’t seem so bad if they were all distinctly average, but the majority are actually really good and it’s put a big dent in my wallet. A lot of these British bands seem to be releasing their debut albums around the same time and Editors are no exception to this trend. The Back Room is the Birmingham quartet’s first album and it’s an album that will win them a number of fans.

Of course like all the other bands about at the moment the likes of NME have chosen to compare them to bands from our past. They have an incredibly retro sound and that has instantly led to comparisons with the likes of Joy Division and The Smiths. For me I think the comparison to The Smiths is way wide of the mark, however there are flashes of Joy Division within each track. It’s not enough to be able to levy what seems to be a constant comment about the band, that they are understudies to the 80’s band. It is however fair to say that Joy Division were obviously an influence on Editors and it actually seems to have stood them quite well whilst making this album.

There is a part of me that can’t help but feel this isn’t Editors at their very best and that there is a lot more to come from them. That said there is something about this album that just captivates the senses and draws me quite deeply into it. It is a solid debut album but there does seem to be a bit of scope there for something else. Despite missing that little something that would make this album flawless it is an album the band should be proud of.

Musically it has quite a good blend, with some excellent guitar riffs blended in nicely with well timed percussion sections. The album has a nice pace to it, there are some nice laid back sections and certain tracks are quite chilled. There are also the faster pace tracks, where the 80’s influence is in abundance. A few of the albums slower moments can generally send shivers up my back and at other times there are glimpses of some excellent creations. It’s these glimpses of excellence that make Editors album such a pleasure to listen to.

Coupled with that are the thoroughly mesmerising vocals from lead singer Tom Smith. His voice is quite powerful and at times it’ll draw your attention to it and it alone, blanking out the musical element. It’s not only his vocals that stand out and the lyrics really seem to have been thought out in some detail. There are certain tracks on the album where the lyrics are so powerful and intriguing that you almost don’t notice the missing factor within the music. The main observation I would make regarding Editors and their future is their ability to write a song and it’s this attribute that will certainly see them go on to bigger and better things.

I would say from a purely personal point that there are two tracks that really got me hooked on this album. The first of these would certainly be “All Sparks”. From the start of the track there is a separation of the guitars and bass that really hooks you into it. It’s then that the vocals kick in and from there I was hooked and just can’t stop listening to it. The other is one of the opening tracks, “Munich”. It starts at quite a fast pace, with the guitar leading nicely into the vocals. This is one of the tracks where I really feel that Smith’s vocals and ability to write songs is in evident and this is certainly one of the best tracks on the album.

There aren’t really any tracks I would say I didn’t like, it’s just that towards the end of the album it seems like there is at least one filler. I still quite like “Distance” but think if they had been given a little bit longer to put the album together and write material it probably wouldn’t have made it onto the final release.

Overall this is a pretty decent album. It is a bit of a throw back to the Manchester and Liverpool music scene of the 80’s. There is a little sampling used throughout the album and Editors certainly show signs of big things to come. They probably won’t be remembered for their debut album but it is slightly different to most bands about at the moment. If you liked Joy Division or Interpol then I think you’ll be quite safe with Editors, but expect much better to come from the Birmingham based 4 piece.

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Summary: Decent debut album