If you’re the type who likes to find good music before the rest of the crowd, better get to your favorite record shop for Razorlight’s debut CD Up All Night.
The London band is about to make a splash in the U.S., thanks to a car ad. The British hit “Golden Touch” is now prominently heard in a TV ad for the Honda Accord. But unlike the one-hit wonder of Dirty Vegas’ “Days Go By” made popular by a commercial for Mitsubishi, “Golden Touch” isn’t the only hit on this record.
Other bona fide hits include the title “Up All Night,” “Rip it Up,” “To the Sea,” “Rock and Roll Lies,” “Dalston” and “Leave me Alone.” A British friend introduced me to the band, already a smash in the U.K., by way of “Golden Touch” via email. The CD was released last October.
The whole darned CD is a rollicking good time. It's been called "brash garage rock." I would call it my Pacific Coast Highway jam… windows down, music cranked, driving along the coast of Cali. Zen. The CD also will do quite well in your iPod for morning runs or workouts.
This quartet of boyish-looking mates, all in their early 20s, also got some exposure at Live 8 and recently supported U2 in Sweden.
Up All Night is not heavy by any means. It’s Pop to the tenth. “Golden Touch,” for example, is about a beautiful girl who’s got some jealous friends:
But then all they know is how to put you down
When you're there, they're your friend
But then when you're not around
They say, "Oh, she's changed"
Oh we know what that means
Well it means they're just jealous
But they'll never do the things
That they wish that they could do so well
“Rip it Up” simply commands: Get on the Dance Floor! Rip it up Girl. That’s what it’s there for!
Article comments
1 - DJRadiohead
Thanks, OC! I bought this CD a couple weeks ago (post Live 8, I am ashamed to admit although that was only one small reason for the purchase). My first time through the disc, it did not capture my fancy at all. I was disappointed. After reading your review I decided I would queue this up on my iPod again this morning to give it another listen.
This again reminded me why I do not write reviews after one listen. I am really liking it more the second listen than I did the first. I am not ready to put them in the rock pantheon yet, but I do not feel like I wasted my cash anymore either.
2 - Casey
I think the ship has sailed on being in on Razorlight before everyone else, as they're already on of the "it" indie bands right now. Pretty good band either way.
3 - DJRadiohead
I think Razorlight is still flying a bit under the American radar.
4 - oc hairball
first, thanks DJRadiohead!
Yes, Razorlight is a big hit on the indie scene but I'm talking Saturday Night Live, Billboard charts, you know, mainstream popularity. As unfortunate as that is.
5 - Phillip Winn
There are a lot of bands that just don't line up with American tastes, of course, so it remains to be seen how well Razorlight actually does over here.
6 - DJRadiohead
I always have this fear everytime I buy some 'hip' CD from across the pond that British music fans are laughing at me/us:
UK FAN: You bought _________? HAHAHA!
They are still laughing at us for buying Bush records.
7 - oc hairball
razorlight is full proof cause a british mate is the one who recommended it and she has impeccable taste in music, at least i think so
8 - ochairball
or fool proof. Ha!
9 - DJRadiohead
Up All Night has grown on me. I might have to keep my eye out for them on tour here in the states.