The Editors: The Backroom

Echo and the Bunnymen are not referenced much when talking about the crop of late 70s/early 80s revival bands such as Interpol, Bloc Party and Maximo Park. Yet this Brit band was responsible for catchy gems such as The Cutter and the beautifully dark Killing Moon.

Editors sound more like the Bunnymen than, say, Joy Division. Yes, singer Tom Smith has a similar icy vocal style to Joy Division's Ian Curtis and Interpol's Paul Banks. And yes, we know that in the last year or so you've heard this all before. But Editors are different. One moment they can be volatile and jagged (like Joy Division) and the next, gorgeous and beautiful (like the Bunnymen), but all done in their own way rather than relying on some revival trend.

Smith's crescendos, his graceful voice, and self-assured lyrics are perfect for the gently lilting songs littered throughout, such as Fall, Open Your Arms and Camera, with its minimal, synth-soaked chords, topped with searing guitar harmonics.

No sooner are these tender moments over than they're back into the rumbling precision of anthems such as All Sports, Fingers In the Factory and album highlight Blood.

It's produced by Jim Abiss (Placebo, Unkle, DJ Shadow and Kasabian) and the menace he brought to those latter three acts especially is present here.

The only stinker is Bullets, simply because the recurring chorus of "You don't need this disease ... " makes you think "No, we don't need this disease, or this song".

But when you can slip straight back into the frantic Someone Says , and then bring the lights down with songs such as Open Your Arms and Distance, who cares?

Editors have more promise than bands they're lumped in with, such as Maximo Park and the Futureheads (who come across as contrived), because it's great pop music with edge.

Label: Speak'n'Spell Records