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Razorlight mark 20 years with expanded album reissue and UK tour

“We tried to ‘sell’ it to any interested artists through our publishers but they were getting no interest. I loved it at this point but felt it was a little too safe for Razorlight.”

Cris Watkins

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17 minutes ago

Razorlight revisit their five-times-platinum second album with expanded anniversary edition and UK dates

Razorlight will celebrate 20 years of their self-titled second album with an expanded special edition, due for release on 11 December via Virgin Music Group.

Available as red double vinyl and CD, the reissue revisits the 2006 record that delivered the UK Number 1 single America, alongside In the Morning, Before I Fall to Pieces and I Can’t Stop This Feeling I’ve Got. The original album went on to become a five-times-platinum seller.

The expanded edition adds a run of previously unreleased material, including Lost in America, an early demo of America shared by the band in July. Other archive recordings include early versions of In the Morning and Before I Fall to Pieces, plus demos, alternate takes and a Studio Brussels radio performance.

From Lost in America to a Number 1 single

Johnny Borrell has described Lost in America as “the first version that we put down”, explaining that he initially considered offering the song to another artist after taking inspiration from Prince’s writing of Nothing Compares 2 U.

He said: “We tried to ‘sell’ it to any interested artists through our publishers but they were getting no interest. I loved it at this point but felt it was a little too safe for Razorlight.”

The original record was produced by the band with Chris Thomas and recorded at British Grove Studios in London. It also marked the beginning of the songwriting partnership between Borrell and drummer Andy Burrows, who are now performing together again in the band’s reunited classic line-up.

A full expanded tracklist

The anniversary edition gathers the original album with demos and alternate recordings from the same era.

In the Morning
Who Needs Love?
Hold On
America
Before I Fall to Pieces
I Can’t Stop This Feeling I’ve Got
Pop Song 2006
Kirby’s House
Back to the Start
Los Angeles Waltz
Lost in America
Wilfred Owen
Love, Lust & Lotion (In the Morning)
Back to the Start (Olympic Studios, Nov 2005)
Tonite in LA (Los Angeles Waltz)
Fucked Up World
Before I Fall to Pieces (Original Lyric)
Let the Whip Come Down
I Can’t Stop This Feeling I’ve Got (Westside Studios Nov 2005)
Who Needs Love? (Demo Version)
The Pilot (Studio Brussels Radio Performance)

UK anniversary tour begins this month

Razorlight’s anniversary tour begins in Glasgow on 26 November and runs through to a London show at OVO Arena Wembley on 4 December. The Molotovs will support throughout the run, while The K’s join the Wembley bill.