Editors - The Racing Rats

Let’s pretend for a minute that most indie rock gets the credibility it deserves. It tends to get viewed down the nose by the metal masses and rockers alike, due in large part to sections of the genre having radio-friendly appeal or being the 1975. But we welcome and shelter all under the great rock umbrella here at Rock Song of the Week – though metalcore does have to stand closest to the edge where the drips might get them. 

And it’s worth noting again that all indie rock wears the same rain slicks, either; when it comes to a specific brand of UK indie, the Editors were on top of their game. The lads from Birmingham, England churned out two platinum-selling albums and more golds than one of the three or four good countries at the Olympics creating what has been loosely termed “dark indie”, which means it’s closer in sneezing distance to Joy Division than Phoebe Bridgers. 

Which brings us to a track selection from their back catalogue that is plenty moody and thoughtful but has a sparkling sort of energy to it that makes it both rhythmically pleasing and immediately ear-wormy. Seriously, the power this week’s pick has to get you singing along is frightening; The Racing Rats is going to be stuck in your head for a month if you’re lucky, and the next six months if you’re even luckier. Dive into this one with open minds and open ears and you might come out of the other side with a newfound taste for something on the harder side of the softer side. Or, you know, come back next week for something possibly more ferocious. We’ve got some slightly soggy metalcore around here somewhere.