Violence
by Editors

1. 95
2. 65
3. 90
4. 55
5. 60
6. 75
7. 90
8. 95
9. 90

What makes Violence such a successful sixth record for Editors? Primarily the fact that they have stopped trying to sound like a post-punk gone new wave and instead just put all of their energy into creating poppy hooks and infectious melodies using their synthesizers and electronic instruments. With a steady beat and newfound energy, Editors seek to reclaim their former glory and while I still prefer their earlier sound, this is their most successful approach to their new sound since The Weight of Your Love. That being said, the habit of producing overlong songs with endless looping parts is still present here, which pulls down the enjoyment a bit.
On "Cold", "Violence" and "Counting Spooks" the band shows its ability to craft songs with hooky choruses and fine lyrics, while "No Sound But The Wind" showcase a rarely seen vulnerable side.

I can’t say that I have a close relationship with "Editors". The only thing I noticed a while back was that the band sounded like some sort of Joy Division "light" to me. It was only a feeling and possibly not justified, but I still felt that there was a relationship between the voice of Ian Curtis and that of Tom Smith. That relationship was also somewhat in the music, but where Joy Division is pitch black, the Editors remain sufficiently away from that creative but dangerous darkness. They do not avoid the feelings, but they are not overwhelmed by them. The music is usually a solid frame within which Smith can do his thing and the melancholic spatiality and minimal musical accompaniment that made Curtis' vocals extra fragile are absent with the Editors. This, together with the sophisticated and melodic vocal lines, makes the work of the Editors quite accessible. Pop music is merciless, and the band has its army of fans that can appreciate the music in this form. In the absence of better, that appreciation is ok, although no one will deny that the original (Joy Division, Echo And The Bunnymen, Dead Can Dance ...) had a form of authenticity that scored slightly better. But we deviate. "Violence" is definitely not a bad album. The songwriting is solid and the production very good. The songs that appeal to me the most are “Hallelujah (So Low)” with a particularly appreciated heaviness, “Darkness at the Door”, “Belong” and “When We Were Angels”. I don't really find weak songs, unless maybe "No Sound But the Wind" that bathes in a less credible tristesse. Have the Editors passed the momentum? I fear so. The adventurous and experimental seem resolved in a production and musical performance without any refreshing risks. Everything seems to be said musically. And yet: "Violence" is definitely not a bad album because it is based on self-assured craftsmanship.

From Brad1770 04/03/2018 05:55 | #212219

After giving this album a couple of full listens I just couldn't get into it , its not terrible by any stretch but way too dance- poppy for my tastes

Hooks !

50 Pop Gold Records Out Of 100