Thursday, January 26, 2006

Editors

So, who's going to be the hot new band of 2006? I have no idea but I like what I'm hearing from Editors.

Coming out of Birmingham, England, these guys have actually been together since 2000 but have switched band names and labels a few times. They finally settled on a name and label (Kitchenware Records) in 2004. Last year, they released a few singles and their debut album, The Back Room, in England. However, they are just now starting to receive some attention in the US where their album has yet to be released.

Their sound is clearly a part of the retro new wave movement that's been going strong for the last two years or so. Heavy echo on the vocals, trembly guitars and a pronounced drum beat. Generally, I haven't been enamored with a lot of these retro new wave bands but Editors' songs are better than most. Specifically, I'm a complete gooner for their song "Lights".

Unfortunately, until we can our grubby American hands on the album at non-import prices, we are left to pick through the internet for their music.

  • You can stream the entire album at this site.
  • Earlier this week, they wrapped up their brief six-stop tour across the US in Boston. Bradley's Almanac has posted mp3 files from their final show at Great Scott. According to Bradley's Almanac, they'll be doing a more extensive tour following their performance at SXSW this spring.
  • Last month, extrawack! posted a review of their performance at Brixton Academy in London with some killer photos.
  • You can download four acoustic tracks they did for a French radio program here.
By the way, there is another band called Editors whose songs are available on iTunes and elsewhere. Be careful you don't buy their stuff...unless you like their stuff.

Editors | Lights (courtesy of Tonight Let's Dance)
Editors | Fingers In the Factory (courtesy of Rock Insider)
Editors | Munich (courtesy of Rock Insider)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wasn't this band already called Prosaics? And Interpol before that?

Take three quarter cups of moody, Joy Division-style rock.

Add two tablespoons of chiming, downstroked guitars.

Stir in echoplex sweeps and atmospheric textures to taste.

Bake in pre-heated Hype Oven for two months.

Whisk a dozen NME articles and blog posts, and apply liberally to your rock flan!

Seriously, my friend just cought their NYC gig and said it ruled. I have a copy of their album and I really don't understand why everyone's so wound up.

Flatlander said...

I don't care for Bloc Party, Interpol and a lot of the other bands in this genre but I see a distinction with these guys. Their songs suck me in and get my head bopping.

Jim said...

My local record shop is going to be selling the import at the domestic price, so I'm happy about that.

As for what casey said -- Hey, you know what they always say about the subjectivity of musical taste. They sound so close to Interpol that I should hate them, but I really like them quite a bit.

Anonymous said...

I like Bloc Party. And I used to like Interpol, too, but thought Antics was a little weak.

And that Killers song that's on the damn radio is pretty good, too. Other than that, I'm shockingly out of step with the rest of the world. Good thing music isn't my profession. ;).

Hey, Murf — have you heard The Rosebuds yet?