RAZORLIGHT

Though they've only been around for a few years now, I've already read a number of negative things about the British band Razorlight. Some center on lead singer Johnny Borrell. The suggestion seems to be that the guy's a bit of a prick. I have no idea if this is the case or not, but it would hardly be a novel concept. The line between self-confidence and self-importance is always a fine one - especially for preening lead singers. And let's be honest: it can be amazingly entertaining to watch them teeter along that line - and even more entertaining to watch them fall off it. (Quick, somebody hook Pete Doherty up a safety net. Nah, never mind... too late.)

The other knock against Razorlight seems to be that they sound quite a lot like quite a lot of other bands. How shocking! Drum them out of the musicians' union! But while you're at it, drum Radiohead out for sounding a bit like Nirvana on "Creep." Drum Coldplay out for sounding like Bends-era Radiohead. Drum Keane out for sounding like Coldplay. Etc. Ad infinitum. Is it really any great surprise that a lot of today's groups sound alike - considering that so many of them grew up in the '80s listening to the Clash and the Cure and Joy Division and U2?

In the end, all I much care about is that I like the four songs I'm offering up below. I guess, when it comes down to it, I don't require artists to be the most original or "new" thing on the block. TV on the Radio seem pretty original to me. And I can't stand them. Fiery Furnaces? Likewise. There's nothing wrong with having a comfort zone, and there are solid chunks of the Razorlight canon that obviously fall into mine. So sue me. Call me a prick. Drum me out of the MP3 bloggers' union. I could use the free time.

From the their self-titled LP, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "In the Morning"
[MP3] "Fall to Pieces"

From the LP Up All Night, 2004 >>>
[MP3] "Vice"
[MP3] "Golden Touch"