The sophomore album An End Has A Start, by the British indie rockers Editors is a dark, complex album that is well composed and worth listening to. Any fan of The Killers or Interpol should pick up this record. The vocals and drums are reminiscent of The Killers especially, yet both have an original flavor to them. While this album is centered on death, it concentrates on moving past the hard times. An End Has A Start looks death in the eyes and says you are not going to rattle me. The drums have a strong and straightforward theme, which fits what the music needs. The beat of the song ‘Bones’ would feel at home in a dance club. The blend of guitar, bass, and the occasional keyboard/synthesizer makes it sound musically mature. The tone of the two guitars is very interesting, because they have a soothing almost soft feel, yet they can let the songs rock out when needed. The bass is tight and locks in well with the drums, giving the impression of a strong rhythm section.
Overall, the vocals are melodic and musical, but could use more strength, especially on ‘Well Worn Hands,’ the last track of the album. It sounds like Tom Smith, the singer, is struggling with his musical range. The harmonies on ‘When Anger Shows’ are very catchy. Every track has a well-developed intro and ending. This album sticks out so much because, unlike most modern pop albums, this is not an album filled with one or two singles and a bunch of fluff. Every track is a great piece of art in its own right. The album flows quite well, almost to the point where it feels as though all of the songs are intertwined and each is a part of one big song. The songs do start to sound similar, yet they all are slightly different. This is what an album was meant to be and I think Editors does a great job of this. Overall, Editors has succeeded in doing a great job of composing an indie album that anyone can appreciate.
