Razorlight (album)

Last updated

Razorlight
RazorlightSelftitled.jpg
Studio album by
Released17 July 2006
Studio British Grove Studios, Chiswick, West London
Genre Indie rock, post-punk revival
Length34:57
Label Mercury, Vertigo
Producer Razorlight, Chris Thomas
Razorlight chronology
Up All Night
(2004)
Razorlight
(2006)
Slipway Fires
(2008)
Singles from Razorlight
  1. "In the Morning"
    Released: 3 July 2006
  2. "America"
    Released: 2 October 2006
  3. "Before I Fall to Pieces"
    Released: 18 December 2006
  4. "I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got"
    Released: 19 March 2007
  5. "Hold On"
    Released: 9 July 2007

Razorlight is the second studio album by English indie rock band Razorlight. The album was released on 17 July 2006 in the United Kingdom and debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart.

Contents

The band achieved their first and only number one hit from this album, with "America" peaking at the top of the UK Singles Chart in October 2006. The song also peaked at number 6 in Ireland, number 9 in the Netherlands, number 10 in New Zealand, number 17 in Austria, number 21 in Belgium, number 22 in France, number 29 in Switzerland and number 38 in Germany. "Before I Fall to Pieces" was a UK top 20 hit too, as was "In the Morning". "Hold On" was a minor hit.

The album has a more mature sound than their debut, and received a mixed reception. Although it scored 8/10 in NME , it was nominated for 'Worst Album' at the 2007 NME Awards – award winner Rudebox by Robbie Williams also scored 8/10. [1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 60/100 [2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The A.V. Club B [4]
ARTISTdirect Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Drowned in Sound 5/10 [6]
MusicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
NME 8/10 [8]
Pitchfork 2.8/10 [9]
PopMatters 3/10 [10]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Stylus Magazine F [12]

Razorlight received generally mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 60, based on 18 reviews. [2]

Paul Stokes of NME gave high praise to the album's production and lyrics for being larger than life and containing sincere romantic tales that come after various parties, concluding that "It's [also] a record that sees Razorlight comfortably leap the "difficult second album" trap. Now that calls for a party." [8] MacKenzie Wilson of AllMusic praised the band's collaboration with producer Chris Thomas of being able to craft different genres into a unique sound with sharp musicianship that helps set them apart from their contemporaries, saying that "They make honest indie rock for those looking for a solid, good song. There's no frills, no fancy production, just the purity of these songs." [3] Doug Kamin of ARTISTdirect found the album's tight and polished sheen off-putting and its latter tracks lacking replay value but praised the first four tracks for their strong production and energetic tone, concluding that "this is ultimately going to age very well for Razorlight as they become arena rock gods in the years to come." [5]

Dan Wale of Drowned in Sound felt disappointed with the album, saying that some decent tracks can't deviate listeners away from the band's attempt at maturity that comes across more sophomoric in its new sound, saying that "This is not a great album – that needs to be said while the dust is still settling. Though it's not bad, we have to disperse such a thick smokescreen before we can even start to ascertain its worth – any reward has already been bled out in the disparity between expectation and reality." [6] John Murphy of MusicOMH said that despite Björn Ågren's guitar work saving Johnny Borrell's subpar tales of romance and rock star glory, the album reveals poor musicianship and retreads from their debut album, saying that "It's not so much that much of Razorlight is bad exactly, it's just very ordinary. In deciding to ditch their more spiky side and go all out for commercial glory, the band have lost sight of what made them special in the first place." [7] Brian Hiatt of Rolling Stone admired the band's basic three instrument formula to deliver catchy pop rock tracks but felt that "the overall feel still falls somewhere between sterile and silly." [11] Liz Colville of Stylus Magazine panned the album for recycling the same formula and influences found in the band's debut effort and delivering it under a studio polish that feels more self-satisfied than true artistic growth, saying that, "[T]he solipsism and trite accounts of benders from the first album are still there, but the music has gone exceedingly soft." [12]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Johnny Borrell, unless otherwise noted; all music is composed by Razorlight

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."In the Morning" 3:42
2."Who Needs Love?" 3:32
3."Hold On" 3:26
4."America"Borrell, Andy Burrows 4:10
5."Before I Fall to Pieces"Borrell, Burrows3:22
6."I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got"Borrell, Björn Ågren 3:26
7."Pop Song 2006" 2:41
8."Kirby's House" 2:51
9."Back to the Start" 3:12
10."Los Angeles Waltz" 4:39
11."Keep the Right Profile" (iTunes Store bonus track) 3:28

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2006)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [13] 71
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [14] 62
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [15] 64
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [16] 90
Danish Albums (Hitlisten) [17] 29
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [18] 39
French Albums (SNEP) [19] 34
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [20] 39
Irish Albums (IRMA) [21] 2
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [22] 33
UK Albums (OCC) [23] 1
US Billboard 200 [24] 180

Singles

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Ireland (IRMA) [26] 3× Platinum45,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [27] 5× Platinum1,550,000 [28]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

CountryDateLabelFormatCatalog
Japan12 July 2006 Universal International CDUICR-1048
United Kingdom17 July 2006 Mercury, Vertigo LP 6 02517 01090 1
CD6 02517 01284 4
CD / DVD6 02517 01290 5
United States22 August 2006 Universal Motown, VertigoCDB0007215-02 / 6 02517 03360 3
CD / DVDB0007430-10 / 6 02517 03795 3

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Parachutes</i> (Coldplay album) 2000 studio album by Coldplay

Parachutes is the debut studio album by British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 10 July 2000 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom. The album was produced by the band and British record producer Ken Nelson, except for one track, "High Speed", which was produced by Chris Allison. Parachutes spawned the singles "Shiver", "Yellow", "Trouble", and "Don't Panic". The album was also supported by the Parachutes Tour, which saw the band performing 131 shows in their first world tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Razorlight</span> English indie rock band

Razorlight are an English-Swedish indie rock band, formed in 2002 in London by lead singer and guitarist Johnny Borrell. Along with Borrell, the current line-up of the band is composed of founding members Björn Ågren on guitar and bassist Carl Delemo, as well as drummer Andy Burrows. This lineup is a reunion of the lineup from the band's second and third albums.

<i>Up All Night</i> (Razorlight album) 2004 studio album by Razorlight

Up All Night is the debut album by English indie rock band Razorlight, released on 28 June 2004. The album was mainly recorded at Sawmills Studio and mixed at Sphere Studios by John Cornfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Borrell</span> Musical artist

Jonathan Edward Borrell is an English guitarist and singer, currently the frontman of the rock band Razorlight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Burrows</span> Musical artist

Andrew William Burrows is an English songwriter and musician. He is best known as the drummer for Razorlight from 2004 until 2009 before rejoining in 2021. He has also served as the drummer for We Are Scientists from 2009 to 2014.

<i>The Black Parade</i> 2006 studio album by My Chemical Romance

The Black Parade is the third studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance. Released in Europe on October 23, 2006, and the United States on October 24, 2006, by Reprise Records, it was produced by the band with Rob Cavallo, known for having produced multiple albums for the Goo Goo Dolls and Green Day. It is a rock opera and concept album centered on a dying man with cancer known as "The Patient". The album tells the story of his apparent death, experiences in the afterlife, and subsequent reflections on his life. It is the band's only studio album to feature Bob Bryar on drums before his departure in 2010.

<i>Empire</i> (Kasabian album) 2006 studio album by Kasabian

Empire is the second album by British rock band Kasabian, released in August 2006. The album went on to No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart upon its release and was preceded by the release of new single "Empire" on 24 July 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In the Morning (Razorlight song)</span> 2006 single by Razorlight

"In the Morning" is a song by English indie rock band Razorlight, the opening track to their self-titled second studio album (2006). The song was released on 3 July 2006 as the lead single from that album, peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">America (Razorlight song)</span> 2006 single by Razorlight

"America" is a song by English indie rock band Razorlight, included as the fourth track on their self-titled second studio album (2006). It was written by Johnny Borrell and Andy Burrows and was also released as the second single from that album on 2 October 2006.

<i>A Weekend in the City</i> 2007 studio album by Bloc Party

A Weekend in the City is the second studio album by British indie rock band Bloc Party. It was recorded at Grouse Lodge Studios in Westmeath, Ireland, in mid-2006 and was produced by Jacknife Lee. The album was refined and mixed at several locations in London at the end of 2006. It was released on 24 January 2007 in Japan and in the first week of February in the rest of the world, with Wichita Recordings as the primary label. The album peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and on the Irish Albums Chart. In the United States, it entered the Billboard 200 at number 12.

<i>Favourite Worst Nightmare</i> 2007 studio album by Arctic Monkeys

Favourite Worst Nightmare is the second studio album by English rock band Arctic Monkeys, first released in Japan on 18 April 2007 and released in their home country of United Kingdom on 23 April 2007 by Domino Recording Company. Recorded in East London's Miloco Studios with producers James Ford and Mike Crossey, the album was preceded by the release of lead single "Brianstorm" on 2 April 2007. It was the band’s first album with new bassist Nick O'Malley, replacing their previous bassist Andy Nicholson, who left the band shortly before the North American tour of the band's debut studio album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006).

<i>Konk</i> (album) 2008 studio album by the Kooks

Konk is the second album by British indie rock band the Kooks, released on 14 April 2008 on Virgin Records. Produced by Tony Hoffer, the album is named after the London studio where it was recorded, which is the property of Ray Davies. This was the last album to feature original bassist Max Rafferty.

<i>Slipway Fires</i> 2008 studio album by Razorlight

Slipway Fires is the third album by English indie rock band Razorlight. It was released on 3 November 2008.

<i>West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum</i> 2009 studio album by Kasabian

West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009. It was the band's first album not to feature Christopher Karloff, the band's lead guitarist and songwriter who departed during the writing stages of Empire (2006). Rhythm guitarist Sergio Pizzorno became lead songwriter and co-producer for the band. It is also their first album to feature guitar contributions from Tim Carter, who would become the band's touring guitarist in 2013 and a full-fledged member of the band in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Razorlight discography</span>

The discography of Razorlight, an English indie rock band, consists of four studio albums, one compilation album and thirteen singles. Razorlight's debut album, Up All Night, was released in the United Kingdom in June 2004 and reached number three on the UK Albums Chart. The album included the single, "Somewhere Else", which peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. The band contributed the song "Kirby's House" to the War Child charity album Help!: A Day in the Life.

<i>Four</i> (Bloc Party album) 2012 studio album by Bloc Party

Four is the fourth studio album by British rock band Bloc Party. It was recorded in late 2011 and early 2012 at Stratosphere Sound, New York City, with producer Alex Newport. Newport also produced Wreckonomics—the EP of bassist Gordon Moakes' side project, Young Legionnaire. It was released on 20 August 2012 on independent label Frenchkiss Records, and was made available to stream the week preceding its release. The album peaked at number 3 in the UK Albums Chart, and at number 36 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. It is the last album featuring the original line-up with Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong.

<i>AM</i> (Arctic Monkeys album) 2013 studio album by Arctic Monkeys

AM is the fifth studio album by English rock band Arctic Monkeys. It was produced by longtime collaborator James Ford and co-produced by Ross Orton at Sage & Sound Recording in Los Angeles and Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree, California, and released on 9 September 2013 through Domino Recording Company. The album was promoted by the singles "R U Mine?", "Do I Wanna Know?", "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?", "One for the Road", "Arabella", and "Snap Out of It". It features guest appearances by Josh Homme, Bill Ryder-Jones, and Pete Thomas.

<i>Thats the Spirit</i> 2015 studio album by Bring Me the Horizon

That's the Spirit is the fifth studio album by British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. The album was released on 11 September 2015, and marks a departure from the group's metalcore roots, in favour of a less aggressive alternative rock and metal style.

<i>Amo</i> (Bring Me the Horizon album) 2019 studio album by Bring Me the Horizon

Amo is the sixth studio album by British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. Originally scheduled for release on 11 January 2019, it was released on 25 January 2019. The album was announced on 22 August 2018, a day after the release of the lead single "Mantra". It was produced by vocalist Oliver Sykes and keyboardist Jordan Fish, and was written and recorded primarily in Los Angeles.

<i>Olympus Sleeping</i> 2018 studio album by Razorlight

Olympus Sleeping is the fourth album by English rock band Razorlight, released on 26 October 2018. It marked the first Razorlight album for a decade and four years after Johnny Borrell disbanded the group. The album was written by Borrell, at that point the only original member of the band, along with guitarist David Ellis. Martin Chambers of The Pretenders played drums.

References

  1. "And the Other Winners Are..." NME : 46. 10 March 2007. Archived from the original on 20 March 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
  2. 1 2 "Razorlight by Razorlight". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 Wilson, MacKenzie. "Razorlight – Razorlight". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  4. Murray, Noel (12 September 2006). "Dirty Pretty Things / Razoright". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  5. 1 2 Kamin, Doug. "Razoright by Razorlight". ARTISTdirect . Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  6. 1 2 Wale, Dan (18 August 2006). "Album Review: Razorlight – Razorlight". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  7. 1 2 Murphy, John (17 July 2006). "Razorlight – Razorlight". MusicOMH . Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  8. 1 2 Stokes, Paul (17 July 2006). "Razorlight: Razorlight". NME . Archived from the original on 21 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  9. Moerder, Adam (21 July 2006). "Razorlight: Razorlight". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  10. Lomas, Michael (29 September 2006). "Razorlight: Razorlight". PopMatters . Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  11. 1 2 Hiatt, Brian (21 August 2006). "Razorlight : Razorlight". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 18 June 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  12. 1 2 Colville, Liz (1 August 2006). "Razorlight – Razorlight". Stylus Magazine . Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  13. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 230.
  14. "Austriancharts.at – Razorlight – Razorlight" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  15. "Ultratop.be – Razorlight – Razorlight" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  16. "Ultratop.be – Razorlight – Razorlight" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  17. "Danishcharts.dk – Razorlight – Razorlight". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  18. "Dutchcharts.nl – Razorlight – Razorlight" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  19. "Lescharts.com – Razorlight – Razorlight". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  20. "Offiziellecharts.de – Razorlight – Razorlight" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  21. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Razorlight". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  22. "Charts.nz – Razorlight – Razorlight". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  23. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  24. "Razorlight Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "Razorlight | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. 30 August 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  26. "The Irish Charts - 2006 Certification Awards - Multi Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association . Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  27. "British album certifications – Razorlight – Razorlight". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  28. Copsey, Rob (28 August 2018). "Razorlight announce first album in ten years, release four new songs". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 28 August 2018.