‘I’ve got no dirty luck, I’ve always lost’
For what seems like an eternity, Razorlight left this musical world, waltzed off this dizzying globe, while we waited up all night hoping to see them in the morning.
They return with a new record, the enigmatic and ever so smooth ‘Planet Nowhere’ which quite aptly summarises how we have managed to take up residence in this doomsday scenario.
They deliver sumptuous silken grooves that slide along effortlessly, beginning with ‘Zombie Love’ graceful and glowing with confidence, abundant and prosperous in its output.
The low slung guitar vibes of ‘U Can Call Me’ instantly remind me of Sheryl Crow, those ramshackle bar blues musings that beckon, where you confide and find comfort.
The line-up takes us back to ‘Slipway Fires’ we have Johnny Borrell -vocals, Björn Ågren -guitars, Andy Burrows – drums and Carl Dalemo on bass, it’s like putting on your well worn and much loved sweater on a cold, winter’s morning.
We get a shout out to Jonathan Richman in ‘Taylor Swift = US Soft Propaganda’ which makes us yearn for and delight at life’s simplicities, like the innocent chewing gum wrapper, whose colours move me more than most of what I see today.
The album title features on ‘Dirty Luck’ as we commiserate our circumstances, browbeaten by a boss who is devoid of emotion.
The downtown, city street beats continue as they keep the story moving, they flow like a natural water source, nourishing everything in its path.
The back and forth dialogue in ‘Empire Service’ is a conversation piece set to music, I like the ingenuity of it, the honesty of it and the realisation of how we actually sound and it will make me want to keep quiet when I’m out and about hahaha!
We finish with two tracks, they are as cool as a cucumber, we discover who the ‘Cool People’ are and what their agenda is and we accept our fate as ‘April Ends’ songs that hit home, that penetrate our hearts, that lead neatly back to the beginning of the album.
It’s been eighteen years since there was trouble in ‘America’ and Razorlight remain as razor sharp as ever, keep on truckin’ fellas!
Azra Pathan
Razorlight – Planet Nowhere – out 25th October 2024