the killers - are they killer?

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"The Killers album is not perfect. However, it is clear to me that they piss all over Interpol and wipe the floor with the Strokes"

now that's funny.

having always found morrissey and merritt highly overrated i am pleased to hear of their being implicated in this horrible, horrible alterna-fiasco. it's hard for me to believe some of the praise isn't people joking around. this is probably the worst shit i have ever heard in my life and i'm not kidding.
the way he says "potential" or whatever in that video is full-on fucking hilarious.

― duke nevada, Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I've only heard three Killers songs and I thought they sounded spiffy. Big nu wave fun.

― CeCe Peniston (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

this is probably the worst shit i have ever heard in my life and i'm not kidding.
the way he says "potential" or whatever in that video is full-on fucking hilarious.

Oftentimes, I'm willing to forgive otherwise dreadful ticks in songs that make me tap my foot without thinking about it. Let go of your anger!

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:25 (twenty-one years ago)

"Let go of your anger!"

as another Dutch Protestant from the Southwest i'm afraid it simply will not be possible in this case. this is a transparent masquerade of a band, and though seeded in probably legitimate desperation, i will not personally be able get past the basic (and super-unsuccessful) ludicrousness of the approach.
i bet i like tons of stuff it will otherwise get lumped in with, but that always happens.
hey i also did happen to mention it's very, very funny... and meant it.

― duke desert, Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)

i bet i like tons of stuff it will otherwise get lumped in with, but that always happens.

Yes, isn't that peculiar? I've got several examples of this sort of thing happening to myself, but can't explain why.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

c-nn-n you fool, start yr damn blog already.

i have to write about these guys this weekend. they're okay. they get played a lot at work. they stike me as the manifestation of a cardinal music industry rule.

― jess, Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:49 (twenty-one years ago)

care to share it?

― duke cardinal, Saturday, 24 July 2004 21:52 (twenty-one years ago)

that would be cheating!

― jess, Saturday, 24 July 2004 22:01 (twenty-one years ago)

"If something succeeds somewhere, sign something like it and make sure it can sell even more. Or you don't get your bonuses and your coke."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 July 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

three weeks pass...

http://microsites.nme.com/thisweek/img/cover_170804_L.jpg

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

NME this week
http://microsites.nme.com/thisweek/

the first the Killers NME front cover

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Between them and the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, you people are welcome to America's hot new bands.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a hoot, lots of trashy hooks. Less sympathetic than Interpol but the drama's upped a notch.

― CeCe Peniston (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 16:55 (twenty-one years ago)

BRMC, from what I heard, has NOTHING to offer that can't be found better on JAMC album or something. I don't mind rip-offs if they tweak some element in a rewarding way.

― CeCe Peniston (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 16:56 (twenty-one years ago)

They had the one Spacemen 3 ripoff and the one Love and Rockets ripoff too. And that's it.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 16:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree that "Mr. Brightside" is a damn fun single. I love that synth sound. A whole album of that kind of thing would definitely prove brutal, though.

― Softly Weeping at the Oki Dog (Ben Boyer), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 23:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Killers, Kills, Thrills, Distillers etc leave me confused (though I think I like The Thrills if I've got it straight).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 17 August 2004 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

add the stills, the veils, ..

p.s. "somebody told me" reeks of suck.

― reo, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 06:48 (twenty-one years ago)

The video for 'All These Things That I've Done' should be utter wank, seeing as it's the band being greeted and followed by hipster fans as they parade around Brick Lane, but it's quite sweet as every so often a tramp or saggy middle-aged member of the public gets in the way.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Saturday, 21 August 2004 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

So I have to write about the Killers this week. Got the CD in the mail, first listen I'm torn between two opinions expressed upthread: "transparent masquerade of a band" versus "it's a hoot, lots of trashy hooks." The result will probably be an even handed uninspired album review. Damn it!

― piers (piers), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 11:59 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

there's a little synth swell in "Mr. Brightside" that totally reminds me of Disintegration, Plainsong I think.

― teeny (teeny), Sunday, 24 October 2004 20:21 (twenty-one years ago)

A few Killer singles, a mostly filler album.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Sunday, 24 October 2004 21:16 (twenty-one years ago)

dud

― sometimes i like to pretend i am very small and warm (ex machina), Sunday, 24 October 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

teeny otm.

on the More In The Monitor blog they pointed out that the guys don't move around much live. Disappointing, as I was hoping they did more Duran-style sashay-age or something.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 24 October 2004 23:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I loved Marion, but The Killers album is boring. And yet I too can't help loving Mr Brightside. There's a bit of a desperate panic in the verses which works really well, and which I like hearing and feeling.

― JimD (JimD), Sunday, 24 October 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

ok I listened to the whole album now and LOTS of it reminds me of LOTS of the cure, about 1984-1992.

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 25 October 2004 01:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I really found these too hysterical.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 25 October 2004 01:20 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

I've been obsessing over "Mr Brightside". Maybe my favourite Placebo song right now (and I like Placebo plenty). I'm not as into anything else I've checked out though.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 07:29 (twenty-one years ago)

So, I like a lot of old '80s new wave music. I would say that I mostly like the quality of the songwriting, arrangements, the good singers, and the continuation of Roxy Music/Bowie/Kraftwerk aesthetics in this music. When indie rock first started to go new wave (which I really think began with Stereolab, then started to become more of a movement around '97 or so with the first batch of U.S. nu wavers: Satisfact, Gogogoairheart, Computer Cougar/Beautiful Skin), it seemed TO ME like a bold aesthetic move. And I've followed it since then to the extent that it's seemed interesting to me--I'm thinking of bands like the Rapture (whose first EP was on Gravity and is kind of Swell Maps-y), Glass Candy (I don't know--I have the first two singles), Chromatics, Lansing-Dreiden...

Two years ago, I thought that KRMTX "Ice Hatchets" single was really good. I just put it on recently, though, and thought, "What's the point?" I realize that they have a "darker" aesthetic, but there's nothing musically present in KRMTX that sets them apart from, say, Franz Ferdinand. And Franz Ferdinand write better songs, play better, have a better sound, and have a singer that you can actually hear/understand. The thing is, I think, that some of youse think that the new crop of successful and popular nu wavers are dumbing something down. So, what, Franz Ferdinand are dumbing down the Chromatics? The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are dumbing down Glass Candy and the Shattered Theater? The Killers are dumbing down Gogogoairheart? Now, maybe youse guys aren't really into the Chromatics, Glass Candy and the Shattered Theater, and Gogogoairheart, but I'd guess that you don't feel so vehemently opposed to them as you do to the Killers and Frank Ferdinand.

My point is that THERE WAS NOTHING TO DUMB DOWN IN THAT MUSIC IN THE FIRST PLACE. There is no CONTENT in the music of those bands that is missing in bands like the Killers or Franz Ferdinand. In fact, a band like the Killers seem to be GOOFING on the lack of content in this genre with their ridiculous lyrics and the guy's ridiculous singing (which is what I was getting at with that "Believe Me, Natalie" thread).

Also: it's only "fucking Dawson's Creek music" because these bands have better production value.

PEACE-OUT!

-- Tim Ellison (timejeanne...), January 10th, 2005.

― Ian John50n (orion), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 07:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Although I've found something called "Born to Fail" by what must be a different band called The Killers. It's not bad for regular punk rock stuff. Reminds me a little of "Masochism World", I think.

xpost

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 07:41 (twenty-one years ago)

thats probably, ex-iron maiden frontman, Paul Dianno's band

― chaki in charge (chaki), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 10:00 (twenty-one years ago)

they are so fucking bad I can't believe it. one of the worst bands to come with a wave of praise behind them, mildly disappointing acts like Interpol or the Strokes after the first album can't even compete with the Killers.

I simply can't believe that even indie critics would accept this sub teen movie crap as something good, and beyond good, as something cool!!!!!

Do people have any standards whatsoever?

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 10:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha! I listened to the album the other day - I quite enjoy it. It's good bubblegum synthpunk. Nice hooks.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 10:18 (twenty-one years ago)

i thought i hated them and then i heard jacques lu cont play 'mr brightside' and i didn't hate them so much, but i think i still kinda hate them. they seem a lot more absurd than interpol or whoever so i can appreciate that.

― pete b. (pete b.), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

my reaction the first time i heard them was exactly like ronan's though, do people have any standards, indeed.

― pete b. (pete b.), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Somebody Told Me is wicked. The last track on the album was A Fucking Bad Idea though.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:09 (twenty-one years ago)

wtf! are these guys american!!??!!??!!?? i thought we'd all gone back to 1994 or some shit. but if they're american that wd explain it: they are the new green day, if you catch my drift.

― henry miller, Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:14 (twenty-one years ago)

sub teen movie crap

Sounds good to me.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

dasbootfast club

― henry miller, Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but you're actually teenage, whereas Ronan is now early 20s and so kicking against it with all his might. I however am mid-20s, and thus do nothing but read comics and play video games.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I find the huge praise and popularity very bemusing: I suppose "Somebody Told Me" isn't too bad (I was pleasantly surprised that it had a tune &c, after the debacle of every Libertines song I've tried to listen to) but this band are just so unremittingly mediocre and uninteresting.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I've been obsessing over "Mr Brightside". Maybe my favourite Placebo song right now (and I like Placebo plenty).

The problem with The Killers is that they take all that was annoying about Placebo and nothing that was good (ie, the first two albums).

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:20 (twenty-one years ago)

The second Placebo album is the best thing they ever made, though, Dom! And I can't hear any of it in The Killers...lots and lots of Rick Witter, however. And Duran. Mmm.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm implying that "Placebo" and "Without You I'm Nothing" are the only two Placebo albums that don't make me want to cry with embarassment that I own them.

The Killers totally sound like early Placebo, when they were in NME rather than Kerrang.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm literally flabbergasted these guys are from vegas and want to sound like a fucking melody maker singles review page from autumn 1996.

― Miles Finch, Tuesday, 11 January 2005 11:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but you're actually teenage, whereas Ronan is now early 20s and so kicking against it with all his might. I however am mid-20s, and thus do nothing but read comics and play video games.

Is this what I have to expect for the next seven years of my life?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

no, you don't have to hate teen movies in your early twenties. i'm mid-twenties and still like 'em but never felt the need to harsh on them. however, this doesn't stop ver killers from being teh sukc, because they are repro through and through. whereas teen movies progress.

― Miles Finch, Tuesday, 11 January 2005 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

irrelevant since I'm not british anyway.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 12:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Does anyone need The Killers now The Bravery have arrived?

― mnm, Tuesday, 11 January 2005 12:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Perhaps Dawsons Creek is a better reference point than the fairly broad "teen movies", but I said that elsewhere!

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 12:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 305 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWdeRkr6dLs

decent single

― ufo, Thursday, 4 August 2022 22:24 (three years ago)

Enjoying this but boy, that's a blatant Erasure riff they drop in

― groovypanda, Saturday, 6 August 2022 17:22 (three years ago)

gosh yeah.
given the bronski beat riff that brandon used for his solo debut,
and now this,
i think it's clear that he/the band just need to go the whole hog and make an 80s synth album to get it out of their system.

― mark e, Saturday, 6 August 2022 17:47 (three years ago)

one year passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-JdPeMQoAU

seems like they are indeed making an 80s synth album. this one's a pretty good new order pastiche, just with heavy autotune for whatever reason

― ufo, Friday, 25 August 2023 03:45 (two years ago)

Do these guys do anything original?

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Friday, 25 August 2023 03:49 (two years ago)

three months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH2P73cwZMk

lol they made a "born slippy .nuxx"

― ufo, Friday, 8 December 2023 07:28 (two years ago)

Too bad they don´t do ipod ads anymore, this would have been a no-brainer for that

― /asarco (AcnalbasacNoom), Friday, 8 December 2023 14:54 (two years ago)

Too bad they don´t do ipod ads anymore, this would have been a no-brainer for that

― /asarco (AcnalbasacNoom), Friday, 8 December 2023 14:54 (two years ago)

Heard a Christmas song while I was shopping that sounded like someone parodying very early Springsteen, and was curious enough to look it up. Of course it turns out to be the Killers, "A Great Big Sled."

― Lily Dale, Friday, 15 December 2023 03:08 (two years ago)

one year passes...

xxxp lol fatboy slim made a brightside nuxx

https://old.reddit.com/r/glastonbury_festival/comments/1lptydy/fatboy_slim_born_slippybrightside_mix/

― maf you one two (maffew12), Thursday, 3 July 2025 00:15 (eleven months ago)

Lol, that's so painful as an acapella.

Actually really enjoyed Norman breaking down some of his old tracks on YouTube recently while someone else recreated them in Ableton.

― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 3 July 2025 00:29 (eleven months ago)

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