[3/5]
It was impossible to hear Editors' lauded 2005 debut The Back Room and not remark on the stadium-sized ambitions that occasionally made their taut new wave soar. The British quartet evidently took those sentiments to heart, however, and a creeping Coldplay-ism on the follow-up threatens to make its grand gestures ridiculous-especially on "The Weight Of The World," where singer Tom Smith sighs (instead of spits), "Every little piece of your life/Well, it means something to someone" atop a faux-majestic guitar-and-piano riff. That the disc still creates a favorable impression is a testament to the durable melodies, which remain most effective on a smaller scale. Raging punk-disco stompers like "Bones" and "The Racing Rats" recall the first album-as well as the old adage that bigger ain't always better. (EPIC) Dan LeRoy
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