Album Cover, Sam’s Town, The Killers, 2006

The Killers take alot of slack around here (& there). Possibly because they got so popular so fast (roll eyes). Possibly because they sold alot of records (roll eyes). Possibly because they sound British but are actually very American (sigh). Possibly because the band’s lead vocalist, Brandon Flowers likes to shoot his mouth off about other bands and other musicians (whatever, he’s always right, so whatever. Anyway, he apologizes for it afterwards). And if you pay attention to your pompous little obscure-indie-band-fucking friend you are going to be missing out (you’re also going to be an idiot for not just listening to what you want to listen to. And I know that deep down you want to listen to The Killers and that every time you walk into a shop where the radio is playing their latest single, Read My Mind, that you can’t help twitching your butt-muscles just a little bit).

Because the plain truth of the matter is that The Killers have nailed and I mean NAILED the art of the catchy-eurphoric-pop/rock-riff. AND, they make it look easy. In fact, Sam’s Town makes it seem like they can just pull an endless line of danceable rock tunes out of their closets (multiple allusion intended) at the drop of a hat/beat. For instance, the respective keyboard riffs of When You Were Young and For Reasons Unknown, the guitar riff in Read My Mind, and the trombone…uh…riff in Bones are so damn nice to listen to it makes my eardrums feel like they’re bouncing around lightly on a soft marshmallow-y cloud of musical sweetness. On several songs, the band has layered catchy-riff on top of catchy-riff to create that all-encompassing-ecstatic sound that is The Killers. In all seriousness, the truly interetesting thing about this album is the way in which you don’t need to know the lyrics or any of the individual components of it’s songs to feel attached to them. They work – and stick – as a whole. I’m giving Sam’s Town 3 hearts out of 5: