The Killers - Sawdust
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Free Music Notes for Sawdust
Free Music Review: Seems Their Best Work Is Hidden Elsewhere
Hit: 4 Stars
The Killers made sure to infiltrate your radio before hype set in. They also made sure to expose their synthetic influences, each release from them has left listeners confused and wanting more. "Sawdust" aided fans in anticipation for their 2008 studio release "Day and Age".
"Sawdust" was released during a critical time for the band, their first album 2004's "Hot Fuss" was met with generally positive reviews, citing it for its fun heartfelt electronic tunes. To end 2006 the band clocked in "Sam's Town" an act that would leave most artist condemned. The album was quite different then what many had expected, and the town was much grittier.
Sawdust chainsaws right between the middle mark of the next release. A move well executed, time to have a roll call on fans. Thankfully the band had a lot of gems hidden in their closet, fan can rejoice this is a good one. What makes this B-side compilation shine is the bands knowledge and appreciation for other artist compilations.
Here you get new tracks, rerecorded (general and import) B-sides, covers, unreleased tracks, and an epic length remix. Seventeen tracks at your disposal, this albums a long one, but certainly isn't the b-side filler other artist might pop out. "Tranquilize" is a new velvety track featuring Lou Reed. "Romeo and Juliet" is a phenomenal Dire Straits cover, same goes for the second track "Shadowplay" (told ya living up their influences). "Moving Away" was a track included in the 2007 film Spider-Man 3, their is some dispute over a demo take included in the movie and the glossier version on this album. "Daddy's Eyes" was a Best Buy bonus track included on top of ones purchase of the single "Bones".
You really get your moneys worth in sheer duration, and variety. If you're not a collector it can really save you the time and money from having to hunt down all the odds and ends off of singles pressed in limited batches. Collectors can use this album as a clean reference to what they may want to obtain first.
I currently own the vinyl copy, and an MP3 of this album. The vinyl copy is a 2 LP gatefold set, standard white inner sleeves, one insert, and a glossy cover. It is released under Island records, the innards of the gatefold are a handful of assorted pics of the band. I don't own a CD to reference any quality difference pertaining to the two formats, I'd like to believe the vinyl copy sounds better but I doubt it.
My pick off the album is "Mr. Brightside" the remix is captivating, of epic length, and bowls a strike on a closer. Extra effects such as synthesizers and cavernous reverb add the extra little nuances needed to sound fresh like the first time we herd it.
I'd recommended this to fans of alternative rock, basic electronic (none of that glitch stuff here), DJ's (the possibilities are near endless for this one), if like the bands I mentioned they covered (Joys Division, Dire Straits), or maybe even the Cure or or New Order fans. You know what, if you have an open mind try this out.
Free Music Review: 3.5 Stars... unexpectedly strong for an "odds-and-ends" compilation
Hit: 4 Stars
I imagine I am far from the only one who was truly surprised, and disappointed, with the direction that the Killers took on their second album "Sam's Town", which almost sounded like it was made by a different band that had made "Hot Fuss". Now, a year following the release of "Sam's Town" comes this odds-and-ends compilation of B-sides, 'lost' tracks, live tracks and other one-offs.
On "Sawdust" (17 tracks; 73 min.), Brandon Flowers and his band mates go back to the archives, if you can call them that, given that the band has only released 2 albums to date. That aside, the good news is that for me this compilation washes away the bad taste that "Sam's Town" had left in my mouth. In fact, I was really pleasantly surprised by the number of good tracks on here. As is usually the case with these types of collections, you have to pick-and-choose your way through these 17 tracks to find the real treasures. Let's start with the good first: (a) the Joy Division cover "Shadowplay" is outstanding, much better than one reasonably could've expected; (b) the 5 songs from the "Hot Fuss" sessions are great, with little gems like Under the Gun" and Show You How", 2 short songs that make their point and then move on, and "The Ballad of Michael Valentine" is also worthwhile; (c) other outstanding include "All the Pretty Faces" and "Sweet Talk", which musically remind me of U2 somehow.
As to the not-so-good: (a) the opening track "Tranquilize", featuring Lou Reed, is outright aweful, plain and simple; (b) the covers "Ruby, Don't Tkae Your Love to Town" (Kenny Rogers) and "Romeo and Juliet" (Dire Straits) simply fall flat and cannot compare favorably to the originals; (c) the closing track "Mr. Brightside" is an unnecessary remix which doesn't add much to the original version and goes on far too long (over 10 min.) for its own good. But even despite those lesser moments, in all I felt pleasantly surprised by "Sawdust". To be honest, after "Sam's Town", I was about to give up on the Killers as a one-album phenomenon, but after hearing this compilation, I will reserve judgment and check them out whenever they come out with their next album.
Free Music Review: One for the fans
Hit: 4 Stars
The Killers have a sound that isn't unique to them. A far more eloquent reviewer in the mainstream press described them as "The best English indie rock band to come out of America", or words to that effect.
Their debut album "Hot Fuss" might have gotten the fringe music fans excited but their second album "Sam's Town" drove them home to mainstream music fans everywhere. This their 3rd studio release from the Las Vegas natives is a collection of released b-sides, rare recordings, covers and remixes. Album highlights include "Ruby" a Kenny Rogers cover, "Tranquilze" featuring Lou Reed and "Leave your bourbon..." these tracks single out of the magic craftsmanship and patented forlorn love lost sound that The Killers have mastered and highlight the best side of their borrowed unique sound. However the Album on a whole is a little uneven. Something that could also be said of "Hot Fuss". It sounds good, the production values on a whole are very high but it never manages to find its groove. "Sams Town's" beautiful story book feel is no where to be seen here and by rights it shouldn't. Perhaps that is the key to enjoying this album, stick it in the CD player and hit Random. You will enjoy it more.
In closing, I believe if you are a Killers fan you should be racing to buy this album. The linear notes highlight this, it says "for the fans". This couldn't be more true. As this album only really appeals to the obsessive fans with a driving need to own everything ever recorded by their chosen artist. If you are new to The Killers or just a casual observer, then start with Hot Fuss and work your way forward.
Free Music Review: An Above Average Collection Of B-Sides And Covers
Hit: 4 Stars
I was very skeptical when I first purchased Sawdust. I wasn't exactly sure how good a collection of songs that didn't make the cut for their original albums could actually be. Thankfully, it only took a couple listens to realize that the CD was easily worth the money I paid for it. Many songs will have you immediately hooked from the second you hear them, such as Tranquilize, Move Away, The Ballad of Michael Valentine, Romeo And Juliet, and the new version of Sam's Town.
The only real album flaws are in one of it's 17 tracks, and that song is the Mr. Brightside remix. Personally, I've never been a fan of techno music, and this remix is just too electronic-sounding for me to enjoy. The 10+ minute running time isn't doing it any favors either. It doesn't ever come close to beating the original version.
Excluding another track or two that feel unremarkable compared to the rest of the album (like Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town and Shadowplay), I really did enjoy this album for what it was. It tells you something about a band when it's cut tracks are still better together than many full albums today. And so what if a couple tracks aren't that great? It's got 17 songs on it! You're bound to enjoy much more than you hate, and that gets Sawdust a 4/5 from me.
P.S. If you actually decide to listen to Mr. Brightside (Jacques LuCont's Thin White Duke Remix), wait until the last 50-some seconds of the song to hear a hidden, funny bonus song. It's short, but it's a cool little Easter Egg that's bound to put a smile on your face.
Free Music Review: More than pastiche
Hit: 4 Stars
For a collection of B-sides, bonus tracks, leftovers and covers this is surprisingly good. Unsurprisingly, it proceeds in pretty much the same postmodern mode The Killers established so successfully with their first two albums: an engaging fusion of contemporary pop-rock and 80s references that shouldn't work but almost always does. You can hear The Cure, Duran Duran, U2 and even Queen in these tracks. "Shadowplay" sounds like The Stone Roses doing a minor-key reworking of the theme from "The Banana Splits". Sometimes homage even crosses over into the real thing, as in the opener, "Tranquilize", where frontman Flowers does his best to sound like Lou Reed - then the real Lou Reed turns up. There are some gems here, such as "Leave the Bourbon On the Shelf" (crank it up, it's great loud) which seems to be another in the 'Jennifer' cycle, the masterfully ambiguous "Where The White Boys Dance" with its superb grinding baseline and early 80s funk guitar, the angsty "All the Pretty Faces", and the beautiful "Sweet Talk". The Killers work because they're about more than pastiche. Even when they're apparently goofing around or being completely melodramatic (which is often) the songs are beautifully crafted, lyrically interesting, informed by an intriguingly ambiguous sexuality, and grounded in real emotional experiences - often dark ones - that are recognizably our own. In the end, the emotional landscape feels as familiar as it sounds. That's why it works.