Razorlight- Razorlight (Mercury)
review by Jim Clark

Track Listing

1. In The Morning
2. Who Needs Love?
3. Hold On
4. America
5. Fall To Pieces
6. Can’t Stop This Feeling I’ve Got
7. Pop Song 2006
8. Kirby’s House
9. Back To The Start
10. Los Angeles Waltz

 

 

Following the release of their successful 2004 debut, Up All Night, Anglo-Swedish quartet Razorlight return with their self-titled sophomore effort, a strong collection of concise, alt-rock tunes that finds vocalist/guitarist Johnny Borrell, guitarist Björn Åquen, bassist Carl Dalemo and drummer Andy Burrows storming through a quick set of 10 memorably tuneful songs.

At 35 minutes in length and with no individual songs longer than five minutes, veteran producer Chris Thomas wisely plays to the band's strengths, deftly capturing their Britpop sensibilities. Thomas, best known for his work with INXS, Roxy Music, the Sex Pistols, the Pretenders and Pink Floyd, gets great performances throughout from the foursome and delivers a disc that boasts crystal-clear sound.

In the forefront throughout are Borrell's vocals matched by the jagged guitar lines of Åquen. The disc's opening track, "In the Morning," presents this clearly. The hook is tight and the counterpoint vocals at the end of the song are a nice touch.

"America" alternates a gentle verse with an anthem sort of chorus. The band’s Britpop sound, in particular the guitar and drumming, come to the fore on “Before I Fall To Pieces.” The closing (and longest) track, “Los Angeles Waltz,” features some fine lyrics, a creepy organ in the background and some excellent, guitar-driven music -- one of the album’s better tracks.

But the band branches out from the usual Britpop fare here. "Who Needs Love" and it's repeated piano line, brief guitar break and mostly, Borrell's soulful vocal delivery and lyrics, calls to mind classic oldies from the 60's. Borrell playfully calling on Burrows to bring in a drum part towards the end of the tune is another cool moment. “Hold On” follows this formula, though somewhat less successfully. And “Back To The Start” captures the band in a reggae mood.       

While Borrell's outrageous press claims and feuds with rival bands have garnered most of the band's headlines, in the end, it's the music that does the talking. And with this disc, the music speaks louder than the gossip pages ever will.


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pain of salvation - scarsick
icon- icon II, icon live
the pineapple thief- tightly unwound
planet p project- levittown (go out dancing part II)
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the who- endless wire
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gps- window to the soul
iron maiden- a matter of life and death
thom yorke- the eraser
richard butler- richard butler
the flaming lips- at war with the mystics
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david gilmour- on an island
nosound- sol29
jackson browne- running on empty 5.1
neal morse- ?
king crimson- 21st century guide to king crimson
shriekback- cormorant
depeche mode- playing the angel
pallas- the dreams of men
my morning jacket- z
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roger waters- ca ira
various artists- backs against the wall
riverside- out of myself
sigur ros- takk
killers- hot fuss
queen + paul rodgers- return of the champions
journey- generations
yes- the word is live
emmylou harris- heartaches & highways
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rob dickinson- fresh wine for the horses
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aimee mann- the forgotten arm
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christopher o'riley- hold me to this
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rpwl- world through my eyes
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monarch- the grandeur that was rome
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jelly jam- 2
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van halen- the best of both worlds
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persona non grata- the fine art of living review
tegan and sara- so jealous review
guadalcanal diary- 2x4 reissue review
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luna- rendezvous review
jim white- drill a hole in that substrate and tell me what you see review
the drive-by truckers- the dirty south review
the blue nile - high review
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all about eve- let me go home review
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jeffrey gaines live review
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starsailor- silence is easy review
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nearfest 2003 coverage
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