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The
Killers infuse their unique blend of synthesized
pop rock into their foot-tapping hit album,
‘Hot Fuss.' IslandRecords.com
The
Killers' "Hot Fuss" is nothing
to fuss over
By
Jamie Rowe
Online Forty-Niner
Staff writer
The
Killer's new CD, "Hot Fuss", is
a great combination of melodic singing,
synthesizer and good old-fashioned guitar
and drumbeats.
Their
singles "Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine,"
"Mr. Brightside" and "Somebody
Told Me" have been all over KROQ and
Indie 103.1, with little wonder as to why.
Vocalist
Brandon Flowers lends his unusual voice
and synthesizer skills to the tracks to
give them a flash back to the 80s feel while
guitarist Dave Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer
and drummer Ronnie Vannucci hold down the
traditional rock flair.
This
Las Vegas garage band sounds more like a
British Invasion pop group, but has definitely
found their own niche in the music scene.
The Killers originally signed with the U.K.'s
independent label, King Lizard Records and
did a European tour where their fame grew
exponentially. To cash in on the U.S. market,
they made a deal with Island Def Jam, which
released their first album, "Hot Fuss,"
in mid-July.
The
band pairs punchy pop melodies with sinister
lyrics, like the story of "Jenny Was
A Friend Of Mine," where Flowers sings,
"She couldn't scream while I held her
close, I swore I'd never let her go,"
then proceeds to discuss his rights, and
the lack of motive for the crime.
Their
first single, "Somebody Told Me,"
is reminiscent of a dance club smash hit
with hints of a sex change operation, while
"Mr. Brightside" sounds like someone's
sad obsession over an imaginary relationship.
Ten of the 11 tracks have the same quality,
except "Everything Will Be Alright,"
which was recorded by Corlene Byrd in Keuning's
apartment and produced by Flowers. "Everything
Will Be Alright" has a raw, on edge
feeling, but doesn't match the rest of the
CD's style.
"Andy,
You're A Star" is a surprisingly twisted
song. At first it seems like a confidence
booster for a high school football player,
but then becomes a put down with, "Andy
you're a star in no one's eyes but mine."
"Believe Me Natalie" is the worst
song by far simply for the lack of a variety
in lyrical content. But every CD has one
sub-par track. We'll forgive the Killers
this time.
While
this is a short CD with only 11 tracks,
it is well worth the investment to provide
entertainment for just about anywhere.
I
give this CD four licks out of four for
its level of deliciousness.
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