Before issuing their debut,
The Back Room, in August 2005,
Editors were immediately compared to the dark, brooding sounds of
Interpol as well as the post-punk brashness of
Echo & the Bunnymen. Singles such as "Blood" and "Bullets" quickly put
Editors in the elite crowd of those to watch that year. The band -- Tom Smith (vocals/guitar), Chris Urbanowicz (guitar),
Russell Leetch (bass), and
Ed Lay (drums) -- compose a tight rock sound that's both raw and defined, particularly on album opener "Lights."
Editors are an anxious, frantic, and passionate group, and the album is done with taste from the start. Smith is vocally passionate without being too steely, unlike
Interpol frontman
Paul Banks, as he exclaims, "I've got a million things to say," while his bandmates add to the song's rushing intensity. From there, the blistering "Munich" and the more luxurious, danceable "Blood" are the standout moments of this 11-song set. "Munich" is one of
The Back Room's especially stylish numbers, thanks to the matching guitar work of both Smith and Urbanowicz. The surging storm that is "Bullets" is further proof that from the first note,
The Back Room lunges at you with a dynamic that's fierce, wiry, and slightly fashionable. Alternative rock hasn't seen anything like this since the release of
Turn on the Bright Lights. ~ MacKenzie Wilson