Search - Editors :: In This Light & on This Evening

Editors Go Synth With Surprisingly Good Results !

Brendan A. MacWade | New York, NY, USA | 11/20/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When I first heard that Editors were putting aside their strings for keyboards, I thought two things. First, I hoped that this was not the destination for them, but rather a progression of the brilliant discography they started 5 years ago. In other words, I didn't want them to see themselves as going from Joy Division to New Order and then stopping there. They are just trying something new. The other thing I thought was, "I hope they don't embarrass themselves."



Well, they don't. They are not trying to be New Order, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, or any other 1980s synth-pop band. This is still an Editors album. And they don't just get through a bunch of songs without their guitars. They manage to pull off some surprises and dramatic musical departures.



The band says they had to do this in order to produce a third studio album on-time (which for them was year-end 2009). So they motivated themselves to do different things. And then they increased their chance of success by hiring Flood to produce the album. Flood's presence really makes itself felt on the fifth track, The Big Exit, which has a 'no-wave' guitar intro straight out of an early 1970s Brian Eno record (Another Green World, actually). Guitars are present from time to time on tracks like the title track, 'Papillon', 'The Boxer', 'Like Treasure', and 'Human' (on the 'Cuttings II' bonus disc), and when they are heard, they have that Flood feel to them (think 1990s U2 or Smashing Pumpkins, only distant or muted).



Listing to the album a few times through now, it occurs to me that 'Like Treasure' is the brightest song on the album, and it comes close to sounding like Coldplay without being obvious. Again, this album is full of moments like that. You know where the influences are from, but the compositions succeed in being original based on the sum of their ingredients. The Editors take bits and pieces of 30 years of UK rock and make it all their own.



This is a solid album for Editors, no less enjoyable or interesting than their previous two. But certainly different. Apparently they want to work with Flood again, so we shouldn't be surprised if their next album in 2011 or 2012 is also synth-dominated.



Overall, this is a slightly darker album for Editors (keep in mind their first two were fairly dark to begin with). It is meant to be a late night London album - a simple but appropriate theme for them. Subtle and direct references to London appear throughout and are both highlighted and bookended by the opening and closing tracks. I think theme-wise, the ordering of the tracks couldn't be more perfect. Editors seemed to have sweated the details because they care about what an album is supposed to be. Dying medium or not, Editors are committed to making good albums.



Perhaps the band had to go this route. They did it not only to prove they are capable of setting a new goal and achieving it - but to prove that they are going to be with us for a while. If they reach a fifth album, and bring back their trademark distorted rhythm guitars, they will have completed a 10-year cycle most other bands fail to achieve.



The Editors always seem tip their hats to greater artists that have come before (mainly the giants of the 80s New Wave). But with each full album, they are becoming great themselves. Let's see where they go next."

Different sound, but spend some time with it. You'll be sur

scotty doesn't know | Kansas City, MO United States | 10/21/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With only two studio albums under their belt prior to "In This Light and On This Evening", Editors have proved themselves to be fairly consistent in their sound. When I heard they were working on a third album, I had high expectations and wanted it to essentially pick up where the previous two albums left off. Then I heard that Flood was slated to produce the album and my expectations immediately went away, leaving me wondering what direction the band was going. Upon first listen, Flood's influence is plainly obvious. This is not the Editors we've come to know and love and I was not impressed with this album after the first listen. That said, after multiple listens, I have found a new admiration for this band and the direction they've taken. Lyrically and melodically, not much has changed. Substitute their familiar guitar sound with synthesizers and that describes "In This Light and On This Evening" in a nutshell. The first single "Papillon" does not try to ease listeners into the band's new sound at all. Instead, it starts with the synthesizers up front and personal. The hammering melody that kicks off this song is instantly infectious and definitely "kicks like a sleep twitch", as the lyrics state. Editors have always tended to keep their albums fairly short and the 9 tracks on this one prove no different. The new direction may take some getting used to, but spend some time with this album and try not to judge it on 1 or 2 listens. I think bringing Flood in to produce was a risky move, but the reward is well worth it."

Inspiring

Casey Weller | Columbus, OH | 10/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I absolutely loved "An End Has a Start" and was reluctant to believe that they had changed their sound to revolve heavily around synthesizers. After the initial and forthcoming listens, I was awaiting a breakdown in the album where it would ultimately sound cheap and processed. But honestly, this never happened. I had no idea where each song was going. That voice, so haunting, is the same as ever and seems to hold everything together as each layer adds on itself. The first half of the album is upbeat and driving while the second half seems to settle into more of a groove. I love the song "Eat Raw Meat=Blood Drool." The song continues to change and shift and form even to the end. I found myself inspired to create after listening to the Editors' latest."