What is it about Edith Bowman? Sure, she may be one of the most annoying, subtly smug creatures to ever grace a television screen, but she obviously has some hidden quality that inspires indie frontmen to write half-decent albums in celebration of. Having reportedly influenced the majority of Elbow's 'Leaders of the Free World' after her split with lead singer Guy Garvey, Bowman's current beau (Editors' Tom Smith) is apparently equally smitten if the Brummie quintet's second album is anything to go by. An End Has A Start is a considerably different beast to its terse, energetic predecessor. For starters, it's not just Smith's lyrical and vocal inflections that have mellowed; Editors have overhauled their sound somewhat and replaced their trademark Joy Division-referencing menace with a more melodic sound that has seen them (unfairly) compared to Coldplay. Although there is certainly a warmer, more uplifting, and certainly more commercial slant to An End Has A Start, it also consequently more expansive, and takes in more than the dark, monochrome timbre that The Back Room was imbued with. Lead single Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors epitomises the 'new' Editors - it's a warm, steady and anthemic number that's musically uplifting, yet lyrically downcast ("We've all been changed from what we were / Our broken hearts left smashed on the floor"), and tees Editors up for stadium domination sooner, rather than later. The title track is a taut stomper that blazes a trail through the successive tracks (the funereal-yet-solid Weight of the World and the tight, chiming bounce of Bones), while Escape the Nest's driving, siren-like riff makes it one of the album's better tracks. It's the overtly-soppy numbers that let Editors down here, though: Put Your Head Towards the Air is a drippy acoustic-based ballad that drags the pace down, as is the anti-climactical sparse piano-ballad closer Well Worn Hand. In general, however, An End Has A Start is a thoroughly likeable sophomore album that's certainly safer than its predecessor, but ultimately, just as satisfying. Bowman may yet have a purpose in life.

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