Album Review: Razorlight - Razorlight (3/5)

Razorlight recently topped both the UK sales and airplay singles charts with “America,” the second single from their eponymous second album. It encompasses a lot about the album, both for good and bad. As one of the album’s better moments, it’s a fine song, although not as deep as its premise might seem. This is no scathing political indictment of the United States, but rather a quiet pop song with simple lyrics about the “trouble” and “panic in America.” It’s a nice enough melody, but too repetitive, and its simple arrangement shows that singer Johnny Borrell is, well, really not that great of a singer.

This was the same problem I had over and over again with several of tracks. Promising tracks like their R.E.M. tribute “Pop Song 2006” and “Before I Fall to Pieces” lose their momentum because Borrell just doesn’t sound very good. “Hold On” is downright dull and Borrell sounds his worst here.

Despite these flaws, there are some good songs here. Namely the first track and first single “In the Morning,” which is downright fantastic with its jaunty melody, two-part guitar, and driving staccato bassline. Also good are the abovementioned “America,” “Who Needs Love?,” an optimistic piano-backed piece with a retro feel that is just crying out to be their next single, and “I Can’t Stop This Feeling I’ve Got” that opens quietly with a guitar riff reminiscent of Big Audio Dynamite II and bursts forth with electric guitars about halfway through. Enigmatic “Kirby’s House” is good too, and Borrell sounds so much better here with softer vocals than with the wailing that he just isn’t cut out for.

I really wanted to love this album. I liked last year’s single “Somewhere Else” and “In the Morning,” and I had high expectations for this since Q Magazine gave it a 5-star rating, one of only three albums so far this year to earn that distinction (along with Muse and Red Hot Chili Peppers). Unfortunately, it delivers only one great moment, a handful of other pretty good ones, and a few that just don’t make the grade. Solidly middle of the road.