Entertainment
The Clarion
February 14, 2005
The Killers kill, in a bad way
By Matt Rutherford
Entertainment Editor
The Killers says it all: it’s all in the name. Ignoring them just because of the
“the” in their band name would not be a mistake.
The Las Vegas quartet took the world by storm with their first single, and
hopefully their last, “Somebody Told Me.” The song is still threatening to
destroy the steely grip that hipsters have over dance rock and thrust it without
hesitation into the throws of mainstream.
However, this band simply doesn’t cut it. It just seems to be another pop
icon band, with fake British accents and infectious melodies that get stuck in
your head for hours at a time. The Killers’ album stands up in its own respect
but it just lacks the originality that a band needs to stay alive. Most of the
album seems to be very Duran Durein like.
Even more disturbing, credible sources compare these newcomers to
legends like The Cure, T-Rex, Ziggy-era Bowie, Oasis, The Stills and Echo and
the Bunnyman. The Killers even site some of these people as their inspiration
for some of the work on “Hot Fuss,” furthering the lack of original material that
comes from the band.
Vocalist/keyboardist Brandon Flowers has removed his vocal chords and
placed them with over dramatic tendencies not to mention he’s ripped Murray
Lightburn’s accent to make his hipster Vegas style sound that much tighter.
The song “Mr. Brightside” isn’t getting near the misery of The Stills conveys
in their many performances. “Mr. Brightside” has no illusions about being
anything other than an aggressive single. The album’s relentless keyboard and
guitar racket has an altogether lack of emotion, as Flowers outstandingly makes
lyrics about an ex-girlfriend getting off with some other guy boom with the
wrong kind of audacity. “Somebody Told Me’s” boring lyrical movements
about having a “boyfriend who looks like a girlfriend” are simply a witty rewrite
of The Strokes’ high strung first album.
The Killers’ attempt at reconstructing something out of date comes a tad
too late to be noticed. At this point, “Hot Fuss” is just giving us more of the
same.
Thrift store jewels (photo by Joel Graham)
Thrift store
music reviews
Editor's note: Periodically we will print
reviews of cassettes from the thrift store bin. fVe
invite readers to contribute, the only criteria is
that the music in question must be under a dollar
from a thrift store.
By Joel Graham
Staff Writer / Photographer
WARNING!! If you have a sleeping roommate
don’t bother putting this explosive tape in the slot.
The relationship will be damaged.
AC/DC: High Voltage (1976 Warner Records)
You will have to be honest with yourself, this
is the rock album of all rock albums, if you can’t
party with it, it will party at your expense. It will
trash your parents house, trample your mom’s
flowers, and destroy your dad’s Lexus (which is
understandable). Australia knew then what we
know now...how to truly ROCK! Bon Scott, Angus
Young, Malcolm Young, Brian Johnson, and Phil
Rudd built this album with power and pure hotel
room destruction in mind. Track list includes; It's a
Long Way to the Top Of you wanna rock n'roll).
T.N.T., High Voltage, and of course the anthem.
She's Got Balls.
I found this diamond in a dirty tape box at the
Humane Society thrift store next to Cielito Lmdo.
Sorry I saw it first, but I’ll gladly share it with you
for your next bam burner. Among the best classic
rock albums of the last thousand years, this one
will blow your hair off and leave your scull black
and blue, so listen with caution.
ENGLISH BEAT; Special Beat Service (\.R S.
Records)
Sometime in the eighties, when I was already
driving and you were yet to be conceived, this
album was hot. The reggae influence of the English
Beat gave life to such tunes as Mirror in the
Bathroom, Tenderness, and it for Later, which
will go down in history as late night date ballads
that got you all the way around the bases and out
of the park.
The smooth vocals of Ranking Roger will make
a comeback on iPods everywhere, don’t be left
behind. Found at Salvation Army, Hendersonville.