Editors
The Weight Of Your Love

I started off at least a bit biased and influenced by the majority of negative opinions that had circulated online regarding the release of the fourth album by the Editors, coming three years after "In This Light And This Evening" and losing the fundamental contribution of guitarist Chris Urbanowic due to artistic differences with the rest of the band members.

This album abandons the synthetic sounds of the previous 2009 release, without really returning to the guitars of the first two works, but rather introducing an abundant use of strings and orchestrations in an attempt perhaps to make the sound more substantial.

So we have 11 tracks that try to carve out a new path (new audience?) with the tactic of putting as many cards on the table as possible, without forgetting the early fans; examples of this are the semi-title track "The Weight," slow and majestic, introducing solemn strings, and the subsequent "The Sugar," one of the few instances where the guitar plays a role rather than a side piece. So far, so good; the doubts arise as the minutes pass.

From "What Is This Thing Called Love" (Smith's falsetto included in the deal) which recalls sugary Coldplay, to the single "Ton of Love," several notches below their previous singles, yet overall, despite attempting a risky path, it's not entirely bad.

The final piece "The Bird of Prey" is perhaps the emblem of "The Weight Of Love": various pieces that, while not being bad, remain in the shadows, don't excite, and don't entice you to hit the play button. Rather, it will be interesting to evaluate how the more interesting pieces of this work will endure the test of time compared to their past successes.

If "Nothing" (or how classic instruments can afford 5 minutes of air to sip a coffee) primarily, and "Honesty" attempt to play the card of emotional nostalgia, "Hyena" rightfully stands among the best of the lot along with the two opening tracks, it will certainly be one of the most appreciated by the die-hard fans, who will probably elevate it as one of the few salvageable things. Guitars with a new wave touch, Smith’s voice that enhances, a song that glides effortlessly even if it doesn’t reach the heights of a "Blood."

The greatness (or ugliness?) of an album is seen over time; only time will tell if "Weight Of Your Love," which remains a transitional album far from "The Back Room" will grow or more likely undergo further re-evaluation downwards.

Not the disaster it’s painted as, we’re almost at the surface level, but the impression after several listens is one of incompleteness, an album that doesn’t go beyond just doing the job.

More could have been done.

Rating: 6-