Anyway, this is the debut album from the American synth-rock band The Killers. Has it really been almost 10 years since I saw the video clip for Somebody Told Me on Video Hits (similar to MTV) and was instantly hooked on the band? Yikes!
Sooo... how does it stack up these days?
Firstly, there's some gripes to get out of the way. Firstly, the "retro sound vocals" curse strikes again... Since this fad has long passed, it just sounds really thin these days. While the stories and imagery is often fantastic, the vocal delivery itself (distorted and often monotone) is something I need to turn a blind ear to, in order to enjoy the songs. Secondly, in general the recording quality is a dog's breakfast, with the variety of styles across the album translating into a frustrating variety of flaws. It's like each song was mixed by a different person, and means that trying to compensate for it via EQ settings is a fruitless task. On a brighter note, Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll is really well recorded (aside from overly processed vocals, but that seems like a necessity to compensate for the weak lead vocals), with great balance, punch and sizzly cymbals.
The big "power synth" sound is used to great effect on Somebody Told Me and Midnight Show, which both remind me a bit of Franz Ferdinand, perhaps due to the disco influences. Even after hearing it so many times, Somebody Told Me remains a fantastically infectious song, with many pleasing elements. From the cheeky lyrics to the interesting background fill in the verses to the great power chorus, it is a super-slick combination of many great ideas. Midnight Show is also superbly executed, with the synth elements leading to a great sci-fi feel.
... But even though the band was best known for this style, these songs are actually in the minority. The majority of the album is slower and more introspective, like Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, Smile Like You Mean It, All These Things That I've Done, Andy You're a Star, On Top and Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll. I find it strange that Jenny Was a Friend of Mine is the first song, to me it somehow feels more like a mid-album track. Smile Like You Mean It and On Top are solid executions of this style, but without any real highlights for me. Similarly, the verses of Andy You're a Star are a bit ho-hum, but things improve dramatically with the cracking chorus.
I started writing gushing praise for All These Things That I've Done, but eventually I realised that the first half of the song is merely passable, similar to the songs described above. Much of the enjoyment is anticipation of the bridge. It feels the whole song is leading up to the fantastic refrain of
I've got soul,
But I'm not a soldier
which is truly uplifting. This leads into a massive final chorus and outro, which maintain the energy and bring the song home.
Similarly inspiring is the rock ballad Glamerous Indie Rock & Roll. With some nice variety thanks to the piano, it contains many great ingredients: intricate verses, a great singalone chorus and the epic sense of scale throughout. In my opinion, there is a heavy influence of Oasis in this song. The icing on the cake for me is the wonderful layering of vocals in final chorus. Wow.
Everything Will Be Alright sounds to me like the 1980s "new romantics" style. Not my cup of tea.
Mr Brightside is somehow a hybrid of the band's power synth and rock ballad styles. Ignoring the terrible recording quality of the bass guitar, the swirling synth sounds throughout the song are very interesting. Finally, the story of the lyrics is also told with great illustration, making for a great song.
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