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Before their 100 Club gig Razorlight performed an intimate set to a crowd of no more than 40 crammed into Fopp’s basement to witness the Next Big Thing. Christian Smith Pancorvo (drums) had the afternoon off while Johnny Borrell and Björn Ågren took to acoustic guitars. Opening with 'Rock ‘n’ Roll Lies', for the next 40 minutes they treated us to songs of love, life, growing up, rejection and frustration, including new single 'Rip It Up' (just gone Top 40), reggae rocker 'Yes, You Should Know', 'When He Was Twenty' and 'Heartbreak Soup' from the limited, black-sleeved edition of the single, along with requests and what Borrell told us was a ‘secret song. This might never be released. It’s part of a series of songs with 3 words repeated like ‘No, No, No’ and ‘Yeah, Yeah’ Yeah’. This might be your only chance to hear it.’ This little piece of history in the making was 'Fall, Fall, Fall'.
Razorlight undeniably have a touch of Borrell’s ex-band mates The Libertines about them and a quintessentially British quality that stretches back through the likes of The Jam and The Kinks. The acoustic arrangements were revealing, showing what a terrific guitarist Ågren is, but what really shone through was Borrell’s gift with words, like poems set to music. If the scouts did proficiency badges for Lyric Writing, Borrell would have the lot sewn onto his tatty denims. And here’s a quote from the man himself just for Soundsxp readers: ‘Don’t panic; drink more tea; if you make eye contact with a member of the opposite sex, don’t ignore her; don’t wait for buses; stay up late’. There you have it kiddies, sound advice all. Especially about the tea.
Graham S - www.soundsxp.com |
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