popwreckoning

An all New York City bill went down at DC’s Red Palace Saturday night. The Postelles were in town to celebrate the release of their debut album on +1 Records on Tuesday. With them were their buddies Ambassadors and a band that surprisingly they had never run into back home, the Dig. I wasn’t about to miss a Postelles show; not counting this gig, I’ve seen them three times, and they never disappoint. Saturday’s show in Washington was as good of an excuse as any for the band to party with what lead singer/guitarist Daniel Balk counts as one of his favorite cities to play in.

Ambassadors was the only act of the night I’d never seen live before. I try not to overuse the word “eclectic” in any of my writing, but I don’t know how else to describe this band’s music. Their song “Bodybag” could have easily fit in Fleet Foxes’ repetoire. In another song, lead singer Sam Harris was using a bow on his bass guitar: unusual, no? Their closing number sounded more MGMT. Lead guitarist Noah Feldshuh had a Nord in front of him, which seemed strange considering Harris’s brother Casey is their dedicated keyboardist. They have some good songs, but I think trying to focus on one general genre would probably serve them well, so they would have a better chance at hawking their debut album (to be released sometime in 2011) around to labels.

Having seen the Dig open for two great British bands (Editors and the Joy Formidable) last year, I knew I was in for a treat. Personally, I feel that the Dig should have a larger profile on the American music scene, already having released a very good debut album last year (Electric Toys, review here). Their hard rock yet fun sound is the kick in the pants that American rock stations need. In addition to playing “Two Sisters in Love,” “You’re Already Gone,” and “Look Inside,” the band also played some new material that I hope will be released on a new EP or album sometime in the very near future.

Then 11:30 rolled around and it was time for the main event. The Postelles’ debut album has 12 songs, yet they only played 8 of them, which was a little disappointing to me, since I love the entirety of The Postelles. “Sleep on the Dance Floor” was peerless, as were “1, 2, 3 Stop” and “Hey Little Sister,” the latter with Balk asking the crowd to sing along at the end on the “hey little sister!” refrain. I don’t know how it’s possible, but the band sound tighter each time I hear them play, and it’s been great seeing their progression from support to headliner. I can’t wait to see where these guys go.

My only complaint: maybe the band is bored of playing the songs off the album, because they played what I considered two completely non sequitur cover songs. In the middle of the set, they played the late ’70s Wreckless Eric hit “(I’d Go the) Whole Wide World,” a song by an English singer/songwriter than I’m sure very few patrons present had even heard of. This was later followed by a cover of the Rivieras‘ “California Sun,” which is a fun summer song for sure, but I never put surf pop and the Postelles in the same sentence, so it seemed a little out of place. Still, it was a really enjoyable show, and it was obvious that the crowd was enjoying it as well. Loud, drunk girls shouted as to how hot bassist John Speyer’s vest and drummer Billy Cadden‘s v-neck t-shirt were. Is this the kind of reception the Beatles got in their early days?

Oddly, the sets grew shorter as the night progressed, with the Postelles only playing about 35 minutes, including the encore. I found out after the show that this had to do with a curfew (rats) but I was promised by Balk that they would return. Whenever the Postelles do, they will have a fanatical crowd waiting for them, no doubt about it.

The Postelles Set List
Stella
She She
Sleep on the Dance Floor
Looking Glass
Hey Little Sister
(I’d Go the) Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric cover)
1, 2, 3 Stop
Running Red Lights
California Sun (the Rivieras cover)
Can’t Stand Still
White Night
//
Boy’s Best Friend

Tour Dates
Jun 15-16 – NXNE / Toronto
Jun 17 – Schubas / Chicago
Jun 18 – Summer Soulstice Music Festival / Milwaukee
Jun 20 – Tractor Tavern / Seattle
Jun 23 – Popscene @ Rickshaw Stop / San Francisco
Jun 28 – Echo / Los Angeles
Jul 07 – T.T. the Bear’s / Cambridge, MA

The Postelles: website | myspace | interview with | @ Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel | The Postelles Premiere First Promo Video, “White Night” | The Postelles Announce Fall North American Tour | @ Red Palace, February 2011 | The Postelles review
Ambassadors: myspace
The Dig: myspace | @ 9:30 Club | The Joy Formidable / The Dig Live Performances / Webchat on May 10 | Thrice announce 2nd leg of Summer tour w/Kevin Devine, Bad Veins & The Dig | Electric Toys review

Okay, so I readily admit it. I don’t listen to a lot of American bands. I do, however, have a defense: if you turn on your car radio in Washington, DC, scroll up and down the dial all you want, but you won’t be able to find a good station that plays all “new” American rock ‘n’ roll. (There is a rock station in the area that I like, but the problem is they play a lot of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana, which is fine if you want to relive the ’90s but not if you want to discover new bands.) To seek out the next biggest American rock band, I’ve used one of two methods: either listen to the good mix of stuff played on BBC 6music (through which I found out about the Airborne Toxic Event, the Gaslight Anthem, and Titus Andronicus) or show up early to gigs as to check out opening bands.

The latter method applies to how I found out about New York band the Dig, who supported Editors in February at the 9:30 Club. I always feel bad for opening bands. Unless you happen to be lucky and are already famous before you’ve agreed to sign on to support a bigger band on their headlining tour, the venue is likely to be mostly empty when it comes time for you to play. This was true at the 9:30, but the Dig worked it like pros, and by the end of their set everyone around me was smiling, obviously converted into fans. Workhorses of the American rock world, this band has toured around the country a lot, and it showed in their pretty much seamless live performance. Live shows are one thing; but can the band deliver on record, on their debut Electric Toys? I would say yes, a resounding yes. One better: this debut effort was produced by Bryce Goggin, who has previously worked with Pavement (on their 1994 opus Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain) and Antony and the Johnsons. Intrigued?

Like New Hampshire band Wild Light, the Dig features different members switching off for who sings lead. Bassist Emile Mosseri takes lead vocals on what I consider the more middle of the road radio-friendly tunes. “You’re Already Gone” tells the story about, from what I gather, the morning after but with a twist – the emotionally unavailable woman has split and the man is lamenting that she’s left so quickly. The result? A peculiar but wholly romantic tune (with lyrics like “I just want to hear you say good night again” and “all the city lights will light your skin“) with a wicked guitar groove. Tom Chaplin (Keane)-like vocals feature in “Carry Me Home,” just that electric guitars are the prominent instrument on this song, not keyboards. ” The drums by Jamie Alegre drive “Sick Sad Morning” along as Mosseri pleads, “why don’t you pick up the phone?” and later yelps in yearning.

In contrast, guitarist David Baldwin sings lead on “I Just Wanna Talk to You,” a tune with almost Southern swagger. Take that, Kings of Leon. “She’s Going to Kill That Boy” and “Two Sisters in Love” are equally searing, with rocking choruses. “He’s a Woman” has a psychedelic bent, with crashing drums and swirly guitars. These are the kind of songs you want to have along for a long car ride in the summer, windows rolled down, speakers blasting. The album cover of Electric Toys features a red velvet cupcake, cream cheese frosting, and a perfect maraschino cherry. I highly recommend taking a great big bite. Dig in.

Electric Toys will be released in America on June 8 on Megaforce Distribution.

Track Listing
01. Carry Me Home
02. Two Sisters in Love
03. You’re Already Gone
04. She’s Going to Kill That Boy
05. Penitentiary
06. Sick Sad Morning
07. He’s a Woman
08. Look Inside
09. For All Your Sins
10. Shadow
11. I Just Wanna Talk to You
12. Feel Like Somebody Else

The Dig: myspace | @ 9:30 Club | The Joy Formidable / The Dig Live Performances / Webchat on May 10 | Thrice announce 2nd leg of Summer tour w/Kevin Devine, Bad Veins & The Dig

The British band Editors recently released their new music video for “Eat Raw Meat=Blood Drool,” off their latest record In This Light And On This Evening. It’s the third single off the album, and an official release date for the physical single hasn’t been announced yet.

Animated and slightly creepy, the video goes along with the new and more synthetic sound Editors explored on this record. Take a look below.

EDITORS – Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool on muzu.tv

For more on Editors, check out their website at Editorsofficial.com.

I always feel it’s a privilege to see a band on the last date of a tour. By then, all the bugs have been worked out of a band’s set and they’ve got everything down pat to every last detail, so what you see before you is a culmination of nights and nights of “rehearsal” (if you will) for their final parting bow. A sold-out crowd in Washington greeted Editors, kings of the dark indie rock genre in Britain and the Continent, when they appeared at the 9:30 Club Sunday night, the final date of a 2-week North American tour.

Two New York bands assumed supporting act duties for the night. The first band to play was the unsigned quartet the Dig. When I know little about an opening band, I keep an open mind but also accept the fact that their music might not float my boat. In the Dig’s case, I really liked what I heard and from what I could tell by the applause from people around me, they went over pretty well with the folks that claimed places near the front early. They play pretty much straight forward rock ‘n’ roll, switching off between two lead singers (Emile Mosseri [bassist] and David Baldwin [guitar]). Two of the highlights of their short set were “You’re Already Gone,” a song I can see having radio hit potential, and “Two Sisters in Love.”

I won’t name any names for fear of stoning, but despite the super stardom of some American rock bands here and abroad, I can’t name one that has fully captured my attention in some time. The Dig’s final song, “I Just Want to Talk to You,” is one down and dirty number that sounded like the love child between Aerosmith (raw vocals and guitar riffs) and Led Zeppelin (bluesy, jammy goodness). Wicked. Keep an eye on these guys. Their debut album Electric Toys will drop in America on April 27.

.“You’re Already Gone” by The Dig.

I’ve read some reviewer’ suggestions that Brooklyn trio the Antlers makes music that fits the shoegaze and/or dream pop genres, and I can see why. They released their latest album, Hospice, last year. And as the album title suggests, this is heavy stuff and deals with tough subjects, weightier than your average shoegaze or dream pop band certainly and overall, they’re a bit quirky. I mean, really, what rock band nowadays plays with potted plants attached to their synths? Big Antlers fans were definitely in attendance, cheering appreciatively whenever frontman/guitarist Peter Silberman spoke to the crowd or introduced a number such as “Two,” the song that received the loudest cheers.

Silberman’s voice has an ephemeral quality, which at times sounds perfect against the swirly synths and effects of their keyboardist Darby Cicci and at other times at odds with drummer Michael Lerner‘s pounding beats. Structurally, their songs remind me of those of Cymbals Eat Guitars as they feel like mini-operas, songs that have distinct parts led by either the vocals or synths. Their set ender, “Wake,” implores the listener “don’t let anyone tell you you deserve that.” If you like songs with deep lyrics light on the guitars and heavy on the synths, this is the band for you.

The Antlers Set List:
Kettering
Sylvia
Bear
Two
Wake

It’s been over two2 years since Editors last visited Washington, and having talked to fans down at the front, I was not alone in never having seen the band before. Last year I made a pact with one of my best friends that if I saw Editors (one of her favorite bands) in 2010, she would have to see Friendly Fires (one of my favorite bands). To be honest, I really didn’t need much persuading, with Editors’ latest album In This Light and On This Evening drawing on synths and electronic drum beats to great effect and as a result being a major departure from the band’s previous blockbuster albums 2005′s The Back Room and 2007′s An End Has a Start.

Fans from back in the day as well as newer ones will enjoy their current live set, a fine selection of tracks from all three of the band’s albums. It was cool to watch lead guitarist Chris Urbanowicz and bassist Russell Leetch switch effortlessly between their usual axes to play synths when needed on the latest tracks, and it just goes to show that Editors aren’t afraid to try something new.

“You Don’t Know Love,” one of my favorite tracks off the new album, was amazing live, the emotion just oozing out of frontman Tom Smith. I’ve never really cared for his deep voice, but wow, I quickly became mesmerized by the man, crooning into his microphone all night and going from playing guitar, piano, and keyboards. Long-time Editors fans went crazy for tracks “The Racing Rats,” “Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors,” and “Munich,” Urbanowicz and Leetch’s guitars and Ed Lay‘s drums driving the songs. “Munich” in particular had the crowd pumping their fists in the air, everyone shouting with Smith on the chorus of “people are fragile things / you should know by now / be careful what you put them through / people are fragile things / you should know by now / you’ll speak when you’re spoken to.”

“Bricks and Mortar” was the surprising highlight of the night for me. Ever since I got the new album, I’ve wondered who played what synths-wise on which songs, but I got my answer Sunday night watching Smith and Urbanowicz furiously tap their synths side by side – totally awesome. They recently played on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and you can watch their performance below.

Editors Set List:
In This Light and On This Evening
Lights
An End Has a Start
You Don’t Know Love
Bullets
The Boxer
The Big Exit
Blood
Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool
The Racing Rats
Escape the Nest
Like Treasure
Bones
Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors
Bricks and Mortar
//
Munich
Papillon
Fingers in the Factories

Editors: website | myspace| In This Light and On This Evening review | Editors Announce February North American Tour Dates
The Dig: myspace
The Antlers: website | myspace | The Antlers to Tour with Editors

2010 just might be the year female English singers break through big in America. Just like electropop goddesses La Roux and Little Boots, (Vanessa) VV Brown is already a major deal at home in England. But she’s cut from a slightly different cloth. Originally from Northampton, the 5-foot, 11-inch tall songstress is a model (recently scoring an advertising deal with UK supermarket chain Marks and Spencer) and has her own online vintage clothing store, in addition to being a successful songwriter not only for her own music but for other artists as well. Friday night Brown played to a packed club during Liberation Dance Party at Washington’s DC9. D.C. was just one of four stops on her first-ever headlining tour of America.

One of my picks for best bet in town, Liberation Dance Party goes on at DC9 every Friday night. I love it because Bill Spieler, the DJ / compère, does his research and always spins great dance, pop, and electronic tracks, mostly stuff I know well and mostly English. Right up my alley. Here’s a short list to give you an idea of what kind of music they played:

Editors – “Papillon”
the Drums - “I Feel Stupid”
Ellie Goulding – “Under the Sheets”
Friendly Fires – “Hold On” (Holy Ghost! cover)
Delphic – “Halcyon”
the Courteeners - “You Overdid It Doll”
Marina and the Diamonds - “Hollywood”
Florence and the Machine - “You’ve Got the Love” (the Source / Candi Staton cover)
Passion Pit - “Sleepyhead”
Ladyhawke – “Magic”

Brown and her three-piece band arrived on stage to loud, appreciative cheering. Her headgear should have been my first clue that this show was going to be as crazy as a Mardi Gras celebration, just 3 days late. I was a bit disappointed that her trademark retro hairdo and most of her face was obscured by a red, glittery, feathered headdress. But this was just part of the VV Brown spectacle. During her less than 40-minute set, she played most of the songs off her debut album released last year in the UK, Travelling Like the Light, written about a failed relationship.

She has excellent stage presence, giving insight into her songs, and effectively pumping up the crowd. Brown described one of her major hits, “Crying Blood,” as “the first song I ever wrote, the first song I ever released on 7″, the first song I ever wrote on a one-string guitar.” This is a good example of her music, with Brown’s punchy vocals, driving drums, and an overall infectious retro sound that mixes elements of pop and soul. After playing this, she talked about her background – her mother is Jamaican, and her father is Puerto Rican – and in honor of her heritage did a shortened version of the song in a reggae style, encouraging everyone in the club to raise their hands in the air and sway along to the island beat. “Back in Time,” a song about love and time travel, was prefaced with Brown’s cheeky insistence, “I would date Albert Einstein if I could.”

The most surprising moment of the night? Brown asking the audience, “Do you like hip hop? Can I do a cover of Drake‘s ‘Best I Ever Had’? Will you all go fuckin’ crazy?” What kind of questions are those for a D.C audience? Of course the crowd went crazy as she launched into her take of the Drake hit. The best moment of the night? Hands down it was “Shark in the Water,” the whole crowd bouncing to the rhythm and singing along to the fun chorus of the unconventional poppy love song. The smile on Brown’s face made me melt. Check out this live performance of the song on ITV’s “This Morning” show from last year.

After Brown and company left the stage, Spieler reappeared, encouraging us to make some noise for Brown and her band. The crowd’s efforts at hooting and hollering worked; they returned for a one-song encore to play what Brown admitted was a complete improvisation. (I really don’t think she was expecting this kind of reception in D.C. at all and looked sincerely touched by the adulation.) But it didn’t matter: with all arms waving in the air and gig goers shouting back lyrics to Brown, it was clear she had already won over the crowd with her animated live act.

It was sheer magic to witness the realization of a dream for the young woman standing before us. Years ago she wrote songs, alone in her bedroom, hoping for success one day. The audience’s excitement was not lost on Brown, who after the show Tweeted, “this was an absolutley [sic] fuckin unbelievable gig !!! sold out gig, absolutley [sic] amazing !! Im totally on a high !!! big time !!!!” And I agree. If Friday’s show was any indication, Brown is ready to take on the world.

VV Brown has another headlining date at the Great Scott in Allston, Massachusetts, on Monday before going on tour as a supporting act for Swedish electronic band Little Dragon starting in March. If you can’t see her live on this go-around, no worries, you’ll be able to see Brown on the small screen in the near future: she announced at the DC9 show that she and her band will be appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and the Late Show with David Letterman soon.

Tour Dates:
Feb 22 – Great Scott / Allston, MA
Mar 22 – Rapture / Charlottesville, VA*
Mar 25 – Music Hall of Williamsburg / Brooklyn*
Apr 01 – Lincoln Hall / Chicago*
Apr 04 – Walnut Lounge / Denver*
Apr 05 – Urban Lounge / Salt Lake City*
Apr 09 – Nectar Lounge / Seattle*
Apr 11 – Wild Buffalo / Bellingham, WA*
Apr 12 – Mississippi Studios / Portland*
Apr 13-14 - Independent / San Francisco*
* supporting Little Dragon

Have you ever been to show that drastically changed the way you listen to a band? Well, last Friday I went and saw Editors (no ‘the’) and it’s almost like they’re a completely new band to me. Seriously.

Starting the tour supporting their third studio album In This Light and On This Evening, Editors brought along openers Black Nite Crash and Princeton for their Seattle and Vancouver shows. The former was a local Seattle band, one of which I’d put in the “fuzz rock” genre. Some call it “shoegaze,” which to me has a negative connotation of apathetic non-stage presence, so I prefer “fuzz rock.” They weren’t bad, but as a stark contrast to anything Editors did, it was an odd fit. If I had to compare their sound, it was like early Pixies but with a dose of cool Seattle confidence.

Between acts, the front area of the Showbox floor got strangely scarce, or at least until you looked down. Obnoxious teenagers decided to plant their behinds on the floor, tricking those further back that they might get a spot closer. To make the situation even more inconvenient, I almost tripped numerous times on these squatters.

No matter, because as soon as the next band, Los Angeles’ Princeton got on stage, people stood up to enjoy their low-key SoCal indie rock. I was standing right next to their personal band photographer before Princeton’s set started, and she tried to illustrate their sound to me, “kind of like Beach House?” Again, they were an interesting fit on Editors’ bill, but I quite liked them. At one point lead vocalist Jesse Kivel said after they kept switching around instruments, “I never realized how many bass players we have.” Three out of four the band members played bass during Princeton’s half-hour set. They played a concise set list from their debut studio album Cocoon of Love, out last September, all of which was scribbled on a sheet of paper under their feet. There were a few that I remembered having clever titles like “Calypso Love” and “I Left My Love In Nagasaki.” I liked those ones.

I feel like it would both suck and rock to be an opening band for a band as big as Editors. You get the pleasure of touring with and getting exposed to fans of that huge band, but during shows you don’t get as much love because people are there most of the time for the headliners. Jesse Kivel said it best – “thanks guys for coming out early.” When I see a “doors open at” time, that’s when I get there. If I pay for tickets, I want to see as much music as possible. I didn’t come early. I came on time. Everyone else came late.

At that, I was very glad because the Showbox didn’t get really crowded until right before Tom Smith, Chris Urbanowicz, Ed Lay and Russell Leech came out on stage and broke into the strong synthesizer and the lyrics, “I swear to god, I heard the earth inhale, moments before it spat its rain down on me” from the title track of their newest album. That’s when people went nuts.

Back to what I was saying earlier about hearing a band completely differently – when you first hear Editors, you’d never expect the lead singer to be winding around the stage, teetering on his stylish shoes and randomly jumping on the piano. But now that I’ve seen Editors live, I think of Tom’s antics when I hear “Papillon,” “Lights” or “Smokers Outside the Hospital Door” – all of which they played, by the way.  Tom Smith’s almost creepy charisma is perfect for the generally dark nature of their music; he was phenomenal at building momentum through a song without being cheesy, switching between three microphones, a keyboard and a piano. There was just a way that he grabbed at the microphone in almost a longing way, while stomping at the pedals below him.

Chris, sporting his familiar black and white Rickenbacker guitar, got to show his synthesizer skills last night, too. However, because his synth set was right up against Tom’s piano, Chris was completely isolated on the left side of the stage. But even with the separation on stage, everyone sounded so together and harmonious.

Honestly, when I first heard the last album I was kind of underwhelmed after how amazing An End Has A Start was, but after seeing it live, the songs off of In This Light and On This Evening make for a more dynamic live experience with all the elements included. Editors have surely utilized electronic sounds on this record, and it makes so much more sense to me now. I even forgive them for recording a song for the New Moon Soundtrack.

Throughout the 90-minute set, Editors played all but one track off of In This Light and On This Evening (that title is a lengthy one to type out, I must say), half of An End Has A Start, and even a few from 2005’s The Back Room, including “Camera” and “Bullets.”

After they finished up “Brick and Mortar” and left the stage. These girls standing behind me were saying, “There’s gotta be an encore. They haven’t played ‘Munich’ yet.”

“There’s a three-song encore coming up, I caught a glimpse of the set list on the stage,” I turned around and told them.

“Fingers crossed for ‘Munich!’” They squealed.

The girls soon got their wish when Tom, Chris, Russell and Ed got back up on stage and broke into the opening riffs of “Munich.”

I don’t know if they were especially great and energetic because this was the first show of the tour, but this will surely not be the last time I see Editors. Heck, I would have driven down to Portland to see them if they’d stopped there. It was that awesome.

Set List:
1. In This Light And On This Evening
2. Lights
3. An End Has A Start
4. You Don’t Know Love
5. Bones
6. The Boxer
7. The Big Exit
8. Blood
9. Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool
10. The Racing Rats
11. Like Treasure
12. Camera
13. Bullets
14. Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors
15. Bricks And Mortar
Encore:
16. Munich
17. Papillon
18. Fingers In The Factories

Peter Silberman, Michael Lerner and Darby Cicci - aka the Antlers – have announced a string of dates for this winter. The Brooklyn-based band will be touring support for English rockers Editors during their February trek across North America. They will also play a one-off date with Ra Ra Riot.

To get a feel for the Antlers’s vibe of coolness, watch the band’s performance of “Thirteen” and “Bear” for WEGL, Auburn University’s student radio station, taped in November 2009.

Tour Dates:
Jan 29 – Legends of Notre Dame / Notre Dame, IN
Jan 30 – Musica / Akron
Feb 05 – Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera / Brooklyn*
Feb 08 – Warfield / San Francisco#
Feb 09 – House of Blues / San Diego#
Feb 11 – Wiltern Theatre / Los Angeles#
Feb 13 – Ogden Theatre / Denver#
Feb 15 – Vic Theatre / Chicago#
Feb 16 – Phoenix / Toronto#
Feb 17 – Il Motore / Montreal
Feb 18 – House of Blues / Boston#
Feb 19 – Terminal 5 / New York City#
Feb 20 – Trocadero / Philadelphia#
Feb 21 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC#
* with Ra Ra Riot
# with Editors

Photo: Ben Ritter

Sometimes light comes from out of the darkness. As their band name suggests, Editors have changed things up, not content to stay in one place, reinventing themselves yet again. Their 3rd album length offering titled In This Light and On This Evening was released October 12 in the UK and shot straight to #1 in its debut week. One of my friends is a huge Editors fan. But I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never been a big fan of Tom Smith‘s husky voice.

However, upon hearing the first single from the album, the wonderfully synthtastic “Papillon,” I decided their new sound warranted more of my attention. In This Light and On This Evening was produced by London-based Flood (aka Mark Ellis), who has also recently worked with 30 Seconds to Mars. The band also made a concerted attempt to go back to basics, to keep as raw of a sound as possible while recording this album, so if you’re a proponent of the “warts and all” style of music production, you’re going to like this. Similar to what fellow Englishmen Keane did in 2008 with Perfect Symmetry, Editors decided on their third outing to incorporate synthesizers heavily into their music and rely less on guitars. And just like there was for Perfect Symmetry , there are plenty of critics of this new “version” of Editors, the kind of people who think any band to use synths so prominently in rock music is committing heresy.

In my eyes, synths are a welcome addition to any song, provided the song written with their use in mind has a direction, with strong melody and lyrics. (Deep down, I’ll always be an ’80s new wave / electropop / dance fanatic at heart. This also probably explains why, unlike those who have reviewed the album before me, I’m not put off by Editors’ spin on retro electronica.) In the case of In This Light and On This Evening, the synth action is fab and adds rather than detracts from these songs. The album starts off with the part hymnal / part dirge title track, Smith’s vocals darkly avuncular and somewhat frightening. He could be your worst nightmare. Or your savior. When he sings, “I swear to God / in this light and on this evening / London’s become / the most beautiful thing I’ve seen” and mentions the Fleet Road (near Hampstead Heath, North London), this Anglophile knows everything’s going all right. For those of you like me who love (and miss) London Town a whole lot, the band “hacked” into Google Maps and you can take their virtual street view tour of London with the album as your soundtrack. “You’re a long way from home,” indeed. Sigh.

“You Don’t Know Love” is one hell of a sexy number, with lyrics of “You don’t know love like you used to / you don’t feel love like you did before” and wicked beats from drummer Ed Lay. Yowza. Who ever said synth rock had no emotion? (Just please don’t ask me to even try to explain the music video for the song that premiered December 16 on MySpace.) “The Big Exit,” with Smith’s semi-falsetto and the rest of the band repeating the phrase, “they took what once was ours,” is chilling. I also really like “The Boxer;” it’s a bit slower, but warm and cozy as if your mother was tucking you in at night. Not exactly what you’d expect from its title.

And for the biggest surprise: who would have guessed a tune named “Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool” would have such a crazily infectious, repetitive chorus (“I give a little to you / I give a little to him / I give a little to her / a little bit to myself/ I’m gonna pass on your health / I give a little to her“)? You have to hear it to believe it. I’m stoked Editors are headed this way in two months and I’ll get to see hear all of these up close and personal.

Track Listing:
01. In This Light and On This Evening
02. Bricks and Mortar
03. Papillon
04. You Don’t Know Love
05. The Big Exit
06. The Boxer
07. Like Treasure
08. Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool
09. Walk the Fleet Road

In This Light and On This Evening drops in America on January 19, 2010. You can catch Editors on their North American headlining tour in February.

Tour Dates
Feb 05 – Showbox at the Market / Seattle
Feb 06 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver
Feb 08 – Warfield Theatre / San Francisco
Feb 09 – House of Blues / San Diego
Feb 11 – Wiltern / Los Angeles
Feb 13 – Ogden Theatre / Denver
Feb 15 – Vic Theatre / Chicago
Feb 16 – Phoenix Concert Theatre / Toronto
Feb 18 – House of Blues / Boston
Feb 19 – Terminal 5 / New York City
Feb 20 – Trocadero / Philadelphia
Feb 21 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC

Editors: website | myspace | Editors Announce February North American Tour Dates

It’s been nearly two years since UK’s Editors crossed the great pond to visit North America, but this February, they’re finally back and supporting the new album In This Light And On This Evening.

Pre-sale begins Dec. 10. General Sale begins Dec. 12. Get tickets here.

The album hits U.S. stores January 19, 2010.

Tour Dates:

Feb. 05 – Showbox at the Market / Seattle, WA
Feb. 06 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver, BC
Feb. 08 – The Warfield Theatre / San Francisco, CA
Feb. 09 – House of Blues / San Diego, CA
Feb. 11 – The Wiltern / Los Angeles, CA
Feb. 13 – Ogden Theatre / Denver, CO
Feb. 15 – The Vic Theatre / Chicago, IL
Feb. 16 – Phoenix Concert Theatre / Toronto, ON
Feb. 18 – House of Blues / Boston, MA
Feb. 19  – Terminal 5 / New York, NY
Feb. 20 – Trocadero / Philadelphia, PA
Feb. 21 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC

Editors: website | myspace

Reviewing this album is bittersweet for me. For one thing, I hate all the hullabaloo that Twilight has brought along with it. It’s taken over so much of the media lately, and I’ve been sick of it since it started. When I saw the list of artists that were contributing to the Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack, my heart sank. Not because they were bad, but because they were oh so good, and the fact that they’d jumped on the Twilight bandwagon irked me so much. Secretly, I was hoping that the soundtrack was really really bad.

But I was proven wrong, because it’s so good.

Like, really good.

As of right now, I’m separating the soundtrack from the film, because the soundtrack will surpass the quality of the film no doubt. And I’ll take you through Alexandra Patsavas’ musical masterpiece piece by piece, as it’s the only way I can do it justice.

1. Death Cab for Cutie – “Meet Me On The Equinox”

As far as a Death Cab song, when I first heard this I was a little underwhelmed. But I think they’ve mixed it differently for the final soundtrack, so it’s grown on me a bit. Sure, the hook is a little generic for a Death Cab for Cutie song, but as far as a catchy single to start off the soundtrack, it works really well.

2. Band of Skulls – “Friends”

Track two had a completely different vibe as the songs surrounding it – as it’s more upbeat, and provides a lightness that the soundtrack otherwise doesn’t have. It’s the first of a few very raw sounding tracks on this album, which is something you didn’t get from the first film’s soundtrack. “Friends” isn’t a huge song, but it’s a nice departure from the other big songs on the record.

3. Thom Yorke – “Hearing Damage”

This was the one track I was dying to hear, as I’ve been a huge Radiohead fan for a long time, and it’s hard to criticize Thom Yorke for anything. And yet again, like the song says, Thom, “You can do no wrong… in my eyes.” A great throwback to Eraser from a few years ago, “Hearing Damage” is a dreamy electro track full of ominous synthesizers and tricky drums.

4. Lykke Li – “Possibility”

When I heard that Lykke Li would be contributing a song, I was expecting something similar to “I’m Good, I’m Gone,” for a less intense part of the movie, maybe when Bella isn’t seeing Edward in her head, but this slow ballad is so beautiful. It almost reminded me of “Lover’s Spit” by Broken Social Scene, with the heavy constant piano chord and lo-fi sound.

5. The Killers – “A White Demon Love Song”

This was the only song that didn’t seem to fit so perfectly with the rest of the soundtrack, but that could be the context The Killers bring with them, but I totally dig it as a Killers song. It goes back to Brandon Flowers’ natural crooning vocals without any of the frantic energy he seems to have adopted with Day and Age.

6. Anya Marina – “Satellite Heart”

To tell you the truth, the opening hook to this song sounds so much like another of Marina’s songs “Move You.” But then again, Alexandra Patsavas is also the music supervisor for “Grey’s Anatomy,” which is where I heard “Move You.” But as “Satellite Heart” moves through its verses and choruses, it gets bigger and draws you in more. The violin additions towards the end gave me goosebumps too.

7. Muse – “I Belong To You”

The original version could have easily gone in this version’s place. The remixing didn’t make it any better, nor did it necessarily make it any worse. This is by far the peppiest song on the record, which may mean something that it’s right in the middle. I don’t know, but this song didn’t wow me so much now, mostly because I’ve listened to it so many times since The Resistance came out last month.

8. Bon Iver & St. Vincent – “Rosyln”

Let me tell you, Justin Vernon’s vocals layered with Annie Clark’s and mixed with the understated acoustic guitar and banjo made for the best song on the record. By far. I could listen to it all day. It’s just…wow.

9. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – “Done All Wrong”

BRMC’s distinctly lo-fi sound here works exquisitely, with the hints of southern rock and blues adds a different kind of sadness to the record, which up until now has lacked the depth that blues can bring. And what’s so ironic is that BRMC was on the season one soundtrack to “True Blood,” another bit of vampire fare.

10. Hurricane Bells – “Monsters”

Similar to “Friends,” “Monsters” is very much an upbeat song, with a hint of hopefulness. As a heavy movie watcher, I think “Monsters” almost sounds like one of those songs that editors layer over a montage, but not a cheesy one. Not quite filler, but not quite a stand-out, “Monsters” is one of the middle-of-the-road songs on the soundtrack.

11. Sea Wolf – “The Violet Hour”

The second happy song in a row, “The Violet Hour” is so dancey you wonder what’s happening in the story where they play this song. It also emphasizes the vocal theme throughout the record – quieter, smaller vocals – which is different from the first soundtrack with Paramore’s Haley Williams’ loud rock-chick vibe and Chester Bennington’s raw shriek.

12. OK Go – “Shooting the Moon”

A typical OK Go song, with Damian Kulash’s soft, dreamy crooning, “Shooting the Moon” is another lighter song on the record. But what makes this song even better is the stark contrast that comes in the last minute of the song with heavy bass and strong distorted guitar riffs.

13. Grizzly Bear – “Slow Life”

Coming off an amazing record, Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear doesn’t lose any of their authentic sound here with the intentionally droning vocals from Beach House’s Victoria Legrand adding to the ominous, woodsy feel of Grizzly Bear’s music. As the song goes on, it builds to the climax which makes it fit perfectly on the soundtrack.

14. Editors – “No Sound But The Wind”

In tandem with their latest release, this marks the beginning of a new period for Editors, losing the heavy Interpol parallels and moving into a rawer, anthemic sound. “No Sound But The Wind” essentially finishes out the record in terms of rock songs, and it is the perfect ending in terms of emotion.

15. Alexander Desplat – “New Moon (The Meadow)”

It’s hard to talk about a classical song in the context of an otherwise indie rock soundtrack, but by itself, this song makes me actually kind of excited to hear the full score. It’s not too long, yet not too short, to give us just the right amount of classical to actually finish off the album.

This went on very long apparently, but hopefully it enlightened you to how awesome this soundtrack is. It moves fluidly through different emotions and different keys it sounds like one of those great mix CDs that you made for your significant other when you were going through a “rough patch.” Even if you hate everything Twilight, give the soundtrack a chance. You won’t be disappointed.

The soundtrack release date has been moved up and will be available Friday, Oct. 16.

New Moon: soundtrack site