It may be hard to remember now but in 2007 Birmingham gloom rock band Editors were one of the biggest bands in Britain. After their terrific 2005 debut album, The Back Room, earned them critical acclaim, solid sales, and the obvious Joy Division comparisons, hopes were high for their follow up. Part of the appeal of their debut was how the band could transfer singer Tom Smith's dark lyrics to a danceable new wave gothic sound. The subject matter may have been heavy, but the songs were melodic enough they even got used on Match of the Day.
Then came second album An End has a Start, an album that had the band seemingly give fans everything that they wanted: more drama, bigger production, darker lyrics, and what do you think happened? That's right, everyone ran away, screaming, and horrified at the dark brutal gem of an album. The music press where no different. The band had made their intentions clear about the type of subject matter they wanted to explore: death and lots of it, making the press wank themselves silly about how Editors were about to pull a Manics Holy Bible on us. Remember as well, the release was also part of a silly rivalry that was completely manufactured by the press, with the release of Interpol's album Our Love to Admire, happening within weeks of the Editors.
The album performed well, reaching number one on the UK album charts, and the band had an excellent festival season, but they lost a certain amount of career momentum with An End has a Start. The album itself I think is fantastic, and miles ahead of anything they achieved on The Back Room. The songs feel huge, especially lead single "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors", and "Bones", as well as slower numbers like the majestic "Push Your Head Towards the Air". It's a mature, and often uncomfortable look at death, mortality, and existential dread of the modern world. Tom Smith has never been a brilliant lyricist, but his compositions here benefit from their simplicity. While it's not as danceable as their debut the title track, and the aforementioned "Bones" are expert slices of gloom rock that show how their musicianship has progressed while still being danceable.
An End has a Start may be one of the most underrated albums of the 21st century, and no wonder. It's a truly special band that can make an album that dark that popular. Most artists have to wait a long time before even attempting it, after all, Dark Side of the Moon wasn't Pink Floyd's second alum, ditto Low by Bowie. It's the Editors ambition that killed their status as popular musicians.
