"Individual sound but provided no lasting memory, I tell a lie! The bassist had a red and white Rickenbaker, which made a change from practically everyone else, whose were black and white!"
Joanne Sutton
"Camden’s best circuit band came alive. Top stuff, this."
Andrew Future
Razorlight's Drowned In Sound page
With the myriad of emulation bands (emu for short?) crawling from the woodwork, you’d think there would be a Darwinian process going on to weed the gentry from the common folk. You’d think. Razorlight aren’t necessarily accountable for their meagre, yet notable success, as someone must have pulled them aside at some point and said “great! keep it up boys!” with the intention of making a cheap dollar instead of making a great band. Instead, Razorlight emerge through the airwaves and the festival with their take on Television, only their take on Television is not a “take” at all. They’re not much more than a coverband, and it’s our loss.
They do it well, though, and that’s where you get a lump in your throat. Even though the singer attempts the sort of scratch and howl vocals that made the unlikely Julian Casablancas a heart-throb, he fails to look like more than a slightly unkempt and cheap imitation, the tunes are mouth-watering, and at times, composed of finer stuff than gold. It’s just a shame that someone else did it first. They dish out the anthems with forthcoming single “Rock n’ Roll Lies” and cavort with the London-centric “Don’t Go Back to Dalston” before waving themselves off the stage. If only they’d head out on the open road without Tom Verlaine shouting instructions, we’re sure we’d have a winner.
Matic
Razorlight's Stereo Effect Page
Allegedly Razorlight's singer Johnny Borrell is an ex-Libertine which could explain the mass amount of people who have descended upon the Carling Tent. Fortunately, Razorlight give a performance placing them in contention for band of the weekend. Borrell's vocals are the first surprise, amazingly powerful throughout the gig he is a show stopping singer. Thankfully the rest of the band match his strength and a fantastic rhythm section mean the band demonstrate their talent in the best possible way. The band are clearly kings of the stop/start, fast/slow school of music and lean heavily on early punk, but like Colour of Fire its done with style. They are clearly well rehearsed- best exemplified on recent single "Rock and Roll Lies" which sounds even better live than it does on record. Further highlights included an untitled song which used Patti Smith esque vocals and a narrative style before climaxing in punky guitars. I'm sure the NME will devour and hype these insanely in the coming weeks don't let that put you off though, they are a truly fantastic band who deserve to be big.
(9/10)
www.designerpunk.com