Razorlight's eponymous sophomore release doesn't so much reinvent the freewheeling sensibilities of their '04 debut Up All Night as hone them into a more willfully focused pop whole, a mindset that immediately evinces itself on the inviting, Boomtown Rats-meets-INXS-flavored opener "In the Morning." The growing confidence of songwriter/vocalist Johnny Borrell is almost palpable as he expands the band's horizons to include the '50s-rooted influences of "Before I Fall to Pieces" and the Dion-esque "Who Needs Love," the Chrissie Hynde-bred tension of "Hold On" and the sonic fervor of early U2 on "Pop Song 2006." Gratifyingly, that tack has also pushed the rest of the band - especially guitarist Bjorn Agren - towards honing their chops in service of a tighter, yet still playful sound. It may be too easy for seasoned ears to deconstruct the influences here, but by the time this taut, economic collection closes on the high note of the melodramatic "Los Angeles Waltz" even the cynics should be won over. --Jerry McCulley

Corporate pop at its very worst. Shockingly flat, annoying, cliche-ridden, amateur, vain, unaware, etc. AVOID!

I haven't got this album but thats no reason for me not to write a review about it. I heard it once round someones house and I had to throw their cd player out the window half way through it as it was doing my head in so much. A friend of mine said once he managed to listen to the whole album all the way through and it made him so ill he couldn't get out of bed for a week.

Well, I put this on, and my brain started trying to think who they sound like. This shows that although this is an album of music, it is neither brilliant, nor to my mind original. Oh did I put Johnathan Richman in that list in the title. This disappointed me as I had heard and read good reviews of both the band and the album. But, frankly although it is listenable, I have got it on now, it is not outstanding nor does it scream at you. From about 2004 there seems to have been a trend for "new" bands to try to sound like something that has gone before, and if that was the intention of Razorlight with this album, then they hit the spot. Yes, give it a listen, then you will probably forget it in a wee while.

Rename this lot "Rustybluntdark" - ok that was a poor effort, but you get the picture. No where near as good as they think they are. Over produced cack rock for the masses. Avoid at all costs. If you need to - get the 1st album when Johnny (appropriate name) Borrell didn't have his head up his butt walking around on all fours looking for the light switch....

Enough said
What the hell are they doing in the 'Hard Rock and Metal' category anyway
they are neither
they are simply indie, or, quite simply, most boring bands on the planet with no emotion whatsoever. I'm not a Metal nut, though I do like it a lot, I even like some rap, or techno at a push, but indie music bores the hell outta me.