The Killers - Hot Fuss

The Killers match postpunk guitars with a synthesizer overlay that recalls '80s New Wave without burying their sound in nostalgia. On their debut, Hot Fuss, frontman Brandon Flowers plumbs his imagination for tales of murdered lovers ("Jenny Was a Friend of Mine," "Midnight Show"), voyeurism ("Mr. Brightside"), and sexual confusion (the single "Somebody Told Me"). Flowers and his mates are obviously canny students; the total effect is of a playacted obsession, but one made irresistible by their skillful, catchy songs. If there's an occasional misstep (the painfully earnest line "I got soul but I'm not a soldier" from "All These Things That I've Done"), it seems of a piece with the Killers' influences. As it is, Hot Fuss is one of several recent releases that bring a diverting faux glamour to the mainstream rock scene. --Rickey Wright Amazon.com

Bonus Tracks Found Elsewhere

The three bonus tracks,

"Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll"
"The Ballad of Michael Valentine"
"Under the Gun"

are all available on the Killer's 2007 release Sawdust.

If you are looking to buy the Hot Fuss album, buy the Deluxe Tour Edition which comes with a DVD of videos. February 18, 2008

An important debut release

We needed this group to form and make this music.

I haven't gotten this excited about a new band in quite a while.

The Killers are destined to eventually be grouped with music greats like The Smiths, The Cure, REM, U2, Nirvana, and Coldplay in the near future.
This debut CD guarantees that!

Very original, fun and catchy - this CD is one of my favorites - I highly recommend it. January 12, 2007

It's indie rock and roll !!!

I loved this CD!!! I know there are like 5 different versions of this album, and I chose this because it covers the songs I like, it's not too expensive and it arrived just in time for me to listen it over and over again before the concert. It's great, it is the nearest to collector's edition, without all the fuzz of searching. January 10, 2007

soldiers of glam

Catchy, electrifying tunes that take the word "derivative" to all time highs. This band proudly wears its influences on its sleeves while delivering a fresh sound and brings the energy to new levels. The melodies are hypnotic and the vocalist makes the best of his abilities. They really seem to have striven to be good on every song on this release, which proves refreshing. Their determination was worth it.

The work is high energy and pleasantly addictive!




December 30, 2006

Best Album of 2004

This album was ripe with hits and remains in the CD changer in my car to this day. The Killers melded new wave, alternative, and rock influences and released quite possibly one of the best first albums anyone has seen in a at least a decade. There are a few songs on the album that i'm not hugely fond of, but the strengths more than overshadow the few weaker parts, and even the songs I skip are by no means terrible. Buying the import with these three bonus tracks and a bonus DVD with a few music videos on it was well worth it to me, and i'm glad I bought it over the lower priced regular version.

Here's my track by track analysis, with my score in parenthesis, 5 being the highest, 1 the lowest:

Jenny Was a Friend of Mine (5) - Terrific opener, driving rhythms, great chorus.

Mr. Brightside (5) - Probably the most recognized, if not overplayed track on the album, but with good reason, another driving, strong vocals.

Smile Like You Mean It (5) - Favorite song on the album, haunting lyrics, extraordinary use of guitars and synth, great percussion work, especially on cymbals. I don't think i'll ever get tired of this song.

Somebody Told Me (5) - Another driving rock song. Well-made for radio.

All These Things I've Done (5) - Yes, it's true that the line "I've got soul but i'm not a soldier" isn't the best writing in history, but the guitar and rhythm carry it, with good vocal variety. The video on the DVD of this song is pretty damned good as well.

Andy, You're a Star (3) - Mediocre at best, it's a change of pace from the rest of the album up until this point to be sure, but seems overly reptitive. It's either a 2 or 3 but is at a 3 at this point, though that might be overly generous.

On Top (5) - Good use of synth, could have been overdone but luckily they knew where to pull back with it and focus on the lyrics. Flowers' voice seems louder on this song than on previous tracks, and it helps to carry the tune.

Change Your Mind (5) - I was thrilled to see this song used in many of the trailers for 'the movie "Thank You For Smoking' earlier this year, as it's a neat song. The synth approaches borderline over the top, but the vocals are so wonderful, that it doesn't overpower. This is probably my third favorite on the disc, if not a close second.

Believe Me Natalie (5) - Carried by a heavy bassline, it's another storytelling type song, not a bad song, but nothing legendary. It's barely a 5 in my book, it's a good song but might score lower if compared to other Killers songs only. I do however score basing songs against other music of similiar genre, so it remains a 5.

Midnight Show (4) - Not a bad song, but the vocals seem to be lacking, and get lost in the background it seems at times.

Everything Will Be Alright (3) - I'm not sure how this song is even at 3 stars, it's a change of pace, but seems like a bad way to end an album, and this is where it did end on the normal version of the disc. It's not terrible, but probably the weakest track on the album. Could have been better if the vocals were done differently, I liked the rhythm, just hated the delivery.

Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll (5) - First of three bonus tracks, and is possibly my second favorite song. It's catchy as all getout, and Flowers' seems to be right on target with the vocal delivery and range. Great guitar work, and the bassline was done perfectly. Bonus points for the tambourine hit in the first verse as well, very nice.

The Ballad of Michael Valentine (5) - Solid tune, it has a few changes throughout of all the different instruments. Lots of cymbals at some points, but gets the job done.

Under the Gun (5) - Weakest of the 3 bonus tracks but still a good tune, though short. More substance would do it some good. Not the worst song they could have picked to end the album (see above).

Overall, this is a strong buy, and a worthy addition to anyone's collection that enjoys this genre of music.

Hot Fuss (Deluxe Tour Edition):
5 Star Songs: 11
4 Star Songs: 1
3 Star Songs: 2
Overall: Strong 5 (93% - 4.6/5) December 14, 2006

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