Search - Editors :: Back Room

Promising debut: the added e.p. is essential

John L Murphy | Los Angeles | 03/27/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I paid the extra cash for the added e.p. Cuttings, and hearing this after The Back Room opened up the original album much more. I then repeated a play of the Back Room, and within the slightly more textured sonic backgrounds added, the more spare settings of TBR became less harsh. There is a spartan quality to this bone-dry album mix; the vocals are a bit too similar across the board for emotion to really sink in to the atmosphere conjured. Still, the Joy Division/Echo & the Bunnymen comparisons show that, for a first album, that this band holds promise. I predict future releases will color in more shades to, as the photos here accurately show, a rather too-monochromatic effort. This works better in short doses. To my surprise, however, the grooves stuck far more persistently in my mind after hearing this than I'd have expected--a sign that Editors already have, behind a drab exterior, more subtle hues that I look forward to hearing in their next efforts. Not without imitation, yes, but I do also acknowledge that this band has the smarts, like their forebears, to progress into less stark, and more fertile, musical terrain."

Editors debut album with essential B-sides CD

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 07/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I caught wind of Editors on a trip to London in Fall, 2005, and bought their debut album right then and there. It immediately became one of my favorite albums of that year. The album eventually got a proper US release in the Spring of 2006 and I saw Editors several times in concert last year, on which they played several unknown songs to me, which I eventually gathered were B sides from a number of their singles.



Fast forward... Last weekend, shopping at my local indie-record store (Everybody's Records), I happen to fall on this limited release in the used CD bin (for the incredible price of $7.99) and I immediately snapped it up of course.



This 2 CD set consists of the main album (11 tracks, 43 min,) and I won't go into discussing that here. The second CD "Cuttings" (6 tracks, 25 min.) comprises of B-sides of various singles, and what a beauty it is. Opener "Let Your Good Heart Lead You Home" starts of very tentatively, to eventually burst into full blown Editors-rock. It is followed by "You Are Fading", one of those songs I heard in concert, it is a great tune, an Editors classic, actually. "Colours" is an upbeat track that is just as good, if not better, than the regular album tracks. "Release" is another one of the tunes I heard live which I am now glad to have on CD. "Crawl Down the Wall" and "Forest Fire" are the other 2 songs on here, they are nice but non-essential. In all, a fabulous (and necessary) addition to the early Editors catalogue.



The new Editors album was released 2 weeks ago in the UK, and will be released in the US on July 17. Can't wait for that, frankly. Meanwhile, if you are into Editors, and you have a chance to pick up this limited 2 CD release, don't hesitate."