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'Before I Fall To Pieces' was the 3rd single release from Razorlight's self-titled album - it was co-written with front man Johnny Borrell and new-boy drummer Andy Burrows... Their eponymous album was one of the biggest selling in the UK in 2006, it ended the year at No. 6 in the Top Ten of the year's biggest selling albums.Informative as that note is, it doesn't seem dripping with enthusiasm somehow. It feels a long time ago now that Johnny Borrell was so famous we had to get used to the sight of him in skintight jeans and no shirt. Bit of a shock to the system seeing that again in the video, even if it's intercut with Guy Pearce dressed as obscure cable-TV superhero The Flash. Anyway, back in 2006-7 Borrell and "chums" had become one of the few acts of that era to follow a successful debut album with an even more successful second, despite the lazy title and poor production (from Chris Thomas, who really should know better). This live favourite doesn't convey all the excitement the band were reputed for at the time, and although it's probably quite catchy (hard to tell considering how much it got played at the time) it tends, like so much of their work, to turn into a vehicle for Borrell's rockstar posturing and Geldof-like vocal. It's still got enough energy to save it from the worst excesses of his ego, but it's not a record I've ever been able to like.
Echoing the Snow Patrol story in yesterday's post, a further two singles were extracted from the album and get plenty of publicity without making the Top 40, but it couldn't go on forever. A third album was a significant flop and this line-up fell apart. Borrell has since hired a new set of Razorlights but little has been heard from them since.
Also appearing on: Now 58, 61, 64, 65, 71
Available on: Top Gear 'Full Throttle' [Explicit]
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