The Left Coast Biased

Hey there kiddos. Remember where you were when you heard the refrain:

Somebody told me that you had a boyfriend
Who looked like a girlfriend
That I had in Februrary of last year
Its not confidential
I've got potential

I do. I was working at the campus bookstore. It came over the PA and I thought: Hey that's one damn catchy tune. Funny, dark, and rhythmic. I bought Hot Fuss after I heard the second single, Mr. Brightside (at least that's the order I heard them in, actual release order has little bearing on this post) I became an instant fan. Seriously did not leave my cd player for a long-ass time (no I did not, nor still yet have an ipod. don't ask) Ryan and I made this cd an essential part of our road trip to San Fran. That is of course until wet pavement and deft evasive driving by Ryan um--created?--the opportunity to drive a car with no cd player.

Aside: who the hell makes a vehicle with no cd player? GM that's who. No wonder that company is asking the government for an absurd amount of money. Hope they don't invest in audio technology.

Back to the point. Hot Fuss was--nay still is outstanding. Then something happened. And when I meet God I will make it a point to ask him: Who the F! gave Brandon Flowers a piano and a David Bowie box set for Christmas? Because if that's what Santa does with boys who are nice (read:make damn fine 1st albums) then I am opting out of that program right now. Somewhere along the line, during the writing of their follow-up Sam's Town, The Killers ditched the gritty guitar motif and Flowers made a back-handed attempt at a concept album. Please, unless you are in the musical ballpark of Pink Floyd, the Beatles, or the Who...don't try. Case in point: Coheed and Cambria. First two cds of the concept awesome. Next three were progressively less so.

Back to the Killers. Can the guys from Men in Black please use that silver wand, red light thingy and erase Sam's Town from our collective conscience? As a fan of the original Killers I can say with chest puffed out: their second cd sits at the bottom of a box in a closet. When I get hard up for cash I will probably sell it back. Too bad I can't just take the money from the Killers, because that would be poetic justice.

And now to the third cd Day and Age. I am not sure how I feel about this one yet, but it is truly apparent that Mr. Flowers busted out the trusty Bowie box set, listened to every damn song Bowie has ever written, and then took a vacation to Europe and spent time in numerous dance clubs. Europe is really behind the times with music (save England and Iceland, except Bjork.) Example: they really love Michael Jackson. We gave up on him shortly after Thriller stopped being bad-ass. Oh and when he bought the bones of the elephant man. Anyway, the point is that I am not sure "dancy" music is what original Killers fans are going to keep coming back for. There is only so many poorly constructed grammatical clauses like "Are we human or are we dancer" that any self-respecting music fan can take.

I am going to listen to Day and Age a few more times, skipping "Human" of course because after about a month radio has officially beaten the proverbial horse. Hopefully the cd will come around and by an act of God redeem itself. If not at least I learned my lesson after purchasing Sam's Town: I have a burned copy of Day and Age. --Como Out!