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Track Listings
| 1. Lights |
| 2. Munich |
| 3. Blood |
| 4. Fall |
| 5. All Sparks |
| 6. Camera |
| 7. Fingers In The Factories |
| 8. Bullets |
| 9. Someone Says |
| 10. Open Your Arms |
| 11. Distance |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The debut album from Editors, The Back Room confirms this young Birmingham quartet as torch-bearers for a British rock legacy that harks back, via short sojourns through the back catalogues of The Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen, to Joy Division's peerless Unknown Pleasures.
Combining the self-consciously grand, melodramatic vocals of frontman Tom Smith with swirling, minor-key guitar dynamics and claustrophobic, propulsive percussion, this could just be the British riposte to Interpol's majestic Turn On The Bright Lights. Mostly, this is down to Smith’s skill for twinning a superficially catchy chorus with enigmatic, dark sentiments: "People are fragile things, you should know by now/Be careful what you put them though", he warns on the tense "Munich". Perhaps in an understanding that you need more than mystique to power a debut album, however, the rather more mellow "Camera" sees Editors spread their wings a little, inviting cascading synths and the distant trill of sustained, effects-drenched guitar into the desolate rock design. Later albums will hopefully see Editors further build on their coldly ambitious sound, but for now, The Back Room should satisfy those in search of a bit of the dark stuff. --Louis Pattison
Review
Editors are a Birmingham based band for the here and now. If you're a fan of Coldplay block your ears and look away now, you're not going to like this record. The snarling aggressive vocals, edgy high pitched guitar action and violent drumming will be too much for you.
Stand out tracks "Fall", "Camera" and "Bullets" are full of dark harmonies and haunting melodies, the latter being particularly reminiscent of Interpol. There are some wonderfully menacing choruses: "Blood runs through your veins, that's where our similarity ends" (Blood), "You'll speak when you're spoken to" (Munich).
The album closes with two ballads, a stark contrast to the abrassive tracks that make up the rest of the album. "Open Your Arms And Welcome" is beautiful and anthemic in equal measures.
The excitement, energy and passion on display here dismisses any lazy comparisons to Joy Division and Echo And The Bunnymen. This album grabs you by the scruff of the neck and demands your attention. This widescreen rock will soon be filling the biggest venues in the land. --Jack Smith
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The Editors are the best early 80s British new wave band I've heard since ... the early 80s in fact. In "The Back Room" they've created a work that could easily pass for a long lost Kitchens of Distinction album. Any fans of the blessed Kitchens, B-Movie, The Chameleons or The Comsat Angels should snap up a copy of this immediately, as it contains echoes of all those groups. This is as good a recreation of that sound as you could wish for, and will bring the memories flooding back. Anyone looking for the future of popular music will have to wait a little longer.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The biggest mistake I made in 2005 was turning down a £2 ticket to see The Editors at the Bierkeller, Manchester, in favour of some bird!!! I dont have many regrets but this is certainly one of them. After that episode I didnt want the album to be decent... and just to rub my nose in it, it is. In fact its bloody brilliant.
The standout tracks on this album are fantastic and well beyond standard debut album tracks. 'Blood'is by far my favourite, if only for its opening guitar dance. The chorus of 'Munich' seems to be written by a band that have seen it all and it is difficult to remember sometimes that this band are new and still fairly young. 'All Sparks' and the beautiful 'Bullets' prove that The Editors are no flash in the pan band, who are worthy of any Joy Division comparisons.
Of the remaining tracks 'Camera' has to be my favourite and where Tom Smith can be found at his most haunting. There are some weaker tracks on this album but even then they are very listenable.
If anyone does have a time machine so I could travel back to that cold night in Manchester, please let me know.... But then what doesnt kill you....
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
"Blood runs through your veins
That's where our similarity ends"
"It breaks when you don't force it
It breaks when you don't try"
These quotes from two Editors' songs on this album light up amongst the various indie band lyrics of 2005.
Tom Smith, the lead singer of the group,retains an enigmatic and commanding presence on the stage and his voice has grown on me since I first heard this album, which marked a place for Editors in 2005's new indie music boom.
My favourite track and single release "All Sparks",has an insistent beat,great guitarwork and a hooky chorus,but it is not a cosy song. Tom Smith's mildly chilling voice binds the whole album together.It's a hard-working vocal style and it makes a big impact on the listener.
These are songs and lyrics to make you think,not "coffee-table" music!and for some reason I can see vague similarities between Tom Smith and namesake Paul Smith(of Maximo Park).Both have an enigmatic aura.Perhaps Paul Smith has a more romantic approach,but there are parallels between the two,to my way of thinking... I'd be interested to see them singing together onstage,as in last year's JD Set in Nashville.
However,that aside,"Bullets",the most intense track on the album,catches the listener's attention with the chorus "you don't need -you don't need this disease,not right now."
It's certainly got a message.
All tracks are intensely atmospheric and each have their own individual stamp and sometimes I can hear acutely hard times in Tom Smith's voice,but that's no barrier to his interpretation.
All eleven tracks are well-constructed and carefully and very cleverly written,with many layers to them.The album is a revelation and the more I listen to these songs,the more I like them.It reminds me of those kaleidoscopes which you look through to see all the tiny coloured shapes,which,when shaken,form different patterns.
Buy this album,if you didn't already last year,and stick with it.The last track "Distance" is almost a tender song.
I'll be very interested to see what the sequel to "The Back Room"will be like,because it will be a very hard act to follow.
That's where our similarity ends"
"It breaks when you don't force it
It breaks when you don't try"
These quotes from two Editors' songs on this album light up amongst the various indie band lyrics of 2005.
Tom Smith, the lead singer of the group,retains an enigmatic and commanding presence on the stage and his voice has grown on me since I first heard this album, which marked a place for Editors in 2005's new indie music boom.
My favourite track and single release "All Sparks",has an insistent beat,great guitarwork and a hooky chorus,but it is not a cosy song. Tom Smith's mildly chilling voice binds the whole album together.It's a hard-working vocal style and it makes a big impact on the listener.
These are songs and lyrics to make you think,not "coffee-table" music!and for some reason I can see vague similarities between Tom Smith and namesake Paul Smith(of Maximo Park).Both have an enigmatic aura.Perhaps Paul Smith has a more romantic approach,but there are parallels between the two,to my way of thinking... I'd be interested to see them singing together onstage,as in last year's JD Set in Nashville.
However,that aside,"Bullets",the most intense track on the album,catches the listener's attention with the chorus "you don't need -you don't need this disease,not right now."
It's certainly got a message.
All tracks are intensely atmospheric and each have their own individual stamp and sometimes I can hear acutely hard times in Tom Smith's voice,but that's no barrier to his interpretation.
All eleven tracks are well-constructed and carefully and very cleverly written,with many layers to them.The album is a revelation and the more I listen to these songs,the more I like them.It reminds me of those kaleidoscopes which you look through to see all the tiny coloured shapes,which,when shaken,form different patterns.
Buy this album,if you didn't already last year,and stick with it.The last track "Distance" is almost a tender song.
I'll be very interested to see what the sequel to "The Back Room"will be like,because it will be a very hard act to follow.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Totally brilliant
Well I have listened to everything Joy Division have ever done, and I can say that my impression of this, the Editor's first album is Joy Division on speed with extra guitars -... Read more
Published 6 months ago by malc400
Brilliant!
Wow, this is brilliant. If like me you bought their latest album first and loved that, you will definitely want to own this one too. Read more
Published on 21 May 2010 by Lala
Great
This is a great Album by the Editors with some fantastic songs, Not as good as their second but its still a greater record
Published on 10 Feb 2010 by Henry
classic
Well if you want to get into the Editors then you have to buy this album, it's a must. your not a fan of the editors unless you have "the back room", it's a classic a modern take... Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2010 by R. J. Skelly
Excellent album
Awesome album. Always one of the first i navigate to on my ipod.
Great band, great debut album. Read more
Great band, great debut album. Read more
Published on 9 July 2009 by R. Sweeney
Gloomy But Great
Editor's debut album revealed a band who seemed to be the sum of their influences. It's heavily in debt to 80's post-punk bands like The Chameleons, Echo & The Bunnymen, REM, and,... Read more
Published on 15 May 2009 by C. Skinner
Yawnsome indie drivel
I bought this on the strength of the two excellent singles - Munich and All Sparks. As an album though, it doesn't come close; turgid, dreary and monotonous with production so... Read more
Published on 23 Dec 2008 by Jon P
Good first album - Better than most current music
Having heard of editors but not knowing much about them i embarked upon eurockeennes de belfort festival 2007, midday on the second day and on came Editors, the set started well... Read more
Published on 16 April 2008 by Jayy Mannon
80s slight return
Hats off to Exiled Northerner for nailing the true influences on The Editors: the Chameleons and also the Bunnymen are the real points of reference here in the Editors' debut,... Read more
Published on 6 Sep 2007 by Kraftwerker
Sick of JD references
I have never felt compelled to write a review before but all the Joy Division / Ian Curtis references are obviously written by people who've never actually listened to JD. Read more
Published on 13 July 2007 by Albert Ramsbottom
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