Back on top form
Razorlight haven’t been hibernating for the last few months to escape the cold British weather as some of you may believe, but they have been hidden away in a studio writing and recording new material. I am pleased to announce the third studio album from Razorlight, ‘Slipway Fires’.
I adore ‘Somewhere Else’, ‘America’ and ‘Before I Fall to Pieces,’ so I was really looking forward to the new masterpiece. The bands first single is like none of the above songs. The album opens with the calming piano-led ‘Wire To Wire’ and closes with piano solo ‘The House’; both constructed incredibly. The former places musical elements together in such a way that they coincide in complete harmony and never does one overpower another. As ‘Slipway Fires’ progresses, things get a little more heated with the good old Razorlight indie vibe we have all come to respect; this is noticeable on most of the songs, especially ‘Burberry Blue Eyes’. ‘You and The Rest’ consists of a hopping beat and a bouncing guitar riff all wrapped up tightly in an indie rock shell; ‘60 Thompson’ sounds to be very indie focused, even a tad folksy at times while ‘Stinger’ hits the emotions with its powerful and intense guitar rhythms.
Johnny’s rugged vocals are one of the most distinct elements on this record. When I first heard his voice many years ago, I wasn’t impressed by his uneven tones; it was very different to the music I was interested in at the time and because of this I let their talents flow past me without a glance. However, as ‘Somewhere Else’ pulsated through my mind, and became a song I was unable to stop humming to, I became curious about Razorlight and gave their album a listen. There may not be any tracks as catchy as ‘Somewhere Else’ on this record, but I am guessing these songs are going to be the type that grow on you. One minute you’re in the kitchen making a cup of tea/coffee, the next, you're humming along to a song you can’t quite put a finger on where you know it from.
Razorlight prove they are back on top form with this release.