Not even the Killers, the champions of retro new wave, think that synth rock is music to be taken seriously, and Lord knows that this Vegas quartet wants to be taken seriously -- it's a byproduct of being taken far too seriously in the first place, a phenomenon that happened to the Killers after their not-bad-at-all 2004 debut album, Hot Fuss, was dubbed as the beginning of the next big thing by legions of critics and bloggers, all searching for something to talk about in the aftermath of the White Stripes and the Strokes. The general gist of the statement was generally true, at least to the extent that they were a prominent part of the next wave, the wave where new wave revivalism truly caught hold. They were lighter than Interpol and far gaudier, plus they were fronted by a guy called Brandon Flowers, a name so ridiculous he had to be born with it (which he was). And although it was hailed to the heavens on various areas of the Net, Hot Fuss became a hit the old-fashioned way: listeners gravitated toward it, drawn in by "Mr. Brightside" and sticking around for the rest. Soon, they made the cover of everything from Spin to Q, earning accolades from rock stars and seeing their songs covered on Rock Star, too. Heady times, especially for a group with only one album to its name, and any band that receives so much attention is bound to be thought of as important, since there has to be a greater reason for all that exposure than because Flowers is pretty, right? One of the chief proponents of the belief that the Killers are important is the band itself, which has succumbed to that dreaded temptation for any promising band on its sophomore album: they've gone and grown beards. Naturally, this means they're serious adults now, so patterning themselves after Duran Duran will no longer do. No, they make serious music now, and who else makes serious music? Why, U2, of course, and Bruce Springsteen, whose presence looms large over the Killers' second album, Sam's Town.
The ghosts of Bono and the Boss are everywhere on this album. They're there in the artful, grainy Anton Corbijn photographs on the sleeve, and they're there in the myth-making of the song titles themselves -- and in case you didn't get it, Flowers made sure nobody missed the point prior to the release of Sam's Town, hammering home that he's just discovered the glories of Springsteen every time he crossed paths with the press. Flowers' puppy love for Bruce fuels Sam's Town, as he extravagantly, endlessly, and blatantly apes the Springsteen of the '70s, mimicking the ragged convoluted poet of the street who mythologized mundane middle-class life, turning it into opera. The Killers sure try their hardest to do that here, marrying it to U2's own operatic take on America, inadvertently picking up on how the Dublin quartet never sounded more European than when they were trying to tell one and all how much they loved America. That covers the basic thematic outlook of the record, but there's another key piece of the puzzle of Sam's Town: it's named after a casino in the Killers' home town of Las Vegas, and it's not one of the gleeful, gaudy corporate monstrosities glutting the Strip, but rather one located miles away in whatever passes for regular, everyday Vegas -- in other words, it's the city that lies beneath the sparkling façade, the real city. Of course, there's no real city in Vegas -- it's all surface, it's a place that thinks that a miniature Eiffel Tower and a fake CBGB's are every bit as good as being there -- and that's the case with the Killers too: when it comes down to it, there's no "there" there -- it's all a grand act. Every time they try to dig deeper on Sam's Town -- when they bookend the album with "enterlude" and "exitlude," when Flowers mixes his young-hearts-on-the-run metaphors, when they graft Queen choirs and Bowie baritones onto bridges of songs -- they just prove how monumentally silly and shallow they are. Which isn't necessarily the same thing as bad, however. True, this album has little of the pop hooks of "Mr. Brightside," but in its own misguided way, it's utterly unique. Yes, it's cobbled together from elements shamelessly stolen from Springsteen, U2, Echo & the Bunnymen, Bowie, Queen, Duran Duran, and New Order, but nobody on earth would have thought of throwing these heroes of 1985 together, because they would have instinctively known that it wouldn't work. But not the Killers! They didn't let anything stop their monumental misconception; they were able to indulge to their hearts' content -- even hiring U2/Depeche Mode producers Alan Moulder and Flood to help construct their monstrosity, which gives their half-baked ideas a grandeur to which they aspire but don't deserve. But even if the music doesn't really work, it's hard not to listen to it in slack-jawed wonderment, since there's never been a record quite like it -- it's nothing but wrong-headed dreams, it's all pomp but no glamour, it's clichés sung as if they were myths. Every time it tries to get real, it only winds up sounding fake, which means it's the quintessential Vegas rock album from the quintessential Vegas rock band. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
I listened to this album during the saddest summer of my life but also the most meaningful. It is beyond good so this reviewer needs to find a job he's actually good at.
wattsobx is right about this reviewer. all you have to do is look at the review he mentioned or his review of the band tool to see he is an elitist who is simply frustrated in the fact that he doesn't have an ounce of talent as a musician so in order to compensate he just rips on those who do. oh yeah... the album is good too. ;o)
"plus they were fronted by a guy called Brandon Flowers, a name so ridiculous he had to be born with it." This reviewer is so bad. I think his job is supposed to be to tell whether the album's good or not, not make fun of the band members' names.
At first I just thought S.T.Erlewine was a dick, now I'm thinking that he takes himself too seriously. However, I must say that it is nice to see that reviewers do not feel obligated to write glowing reviews about every band on Pandora, but instead, reviews that spark discussion and provoke those who disagree to counter with thoughtful responses. If STE was trying to dissuade me from finding The Killers evocative, energetic and fun, he has in fact managed the opposite. The Killers Rock!
I agree with the review. I myself was somewhat annoyed with the new direction after Hot Fuss. I am starting to understand the new take and like it. It is just a big change from the serious killers to the really weird killers. It doesnt matter I love synth rock!
I love The Killers! When you first listen to any of their albums, it sounds like a bunch of raquet. Everytime you listen to it you hear something different and before you know it you are singing the songs in the shower. They are very talented musicly and it shows through when you really listen to their songs. Another example of them being good musicians is the fact that they sound great live, unlike many other bands these days. I hope they keep making music for years.
I have not yet seen a single positive review from any of the reviewers on any of the albums of any band/artist, I wouldn't take the reviews they have too seriously.
Dont be too hard on the guys, He obviously just takes his own opinion too seriously. I like the killers, they dont sound like "everyone else". Its fun.
The reviewer is a real homo, check his review for 40 oz to freedom (sublime) hes truly garbage. Sams Town is my favorite album its a start to finish album good American rock album. I feel that in America we have a bunch of self haters and this is why Sams Town did poorly. You can tell they love America and freedom it gives them to make great music!
I was just introduced to Pandora andn the selection of random music for the my favourites is remarkable. Well done , and leave The Killers alone they're fantastic....:)
The killers are my favorite band, im a big fan my fav song is for reasons unknown. I was gng to their concert in phx in april 2 bad they canceled it but im very excited for the one in sept! the killers are the best their songs give me goose bumps. I love em!!!!!!!!