Third album too familiar
Every now and then a band comes along with a completely unique sound. One such band is The Killers. Unfortunately, their new CD seems quite familiar. Literally.
Their third album, titled “Sawdust,” was released in stores this week and contains a total of 17 songs, 10 of which are brand new and seven that are different versions of previous songs.
While The Killers do not seem to be able to make as catchy songs as they did for their original album “Hot Fuss,” the new album is not bad for what it is.
It consists of rarities that include remixes, b-sides, soundtrack songs and a couple newly recorded songs.
Taking a break from creating all new songs, The Killers take listeners on a journey through their musical history.
With new twists on old songs, unreleased versions of old songs and music from recent movies such as Spider-Man 3, fans can actually get a feeling of the work the band has done over the past few years.
However, people often buy a new CD for new music, not for a musical journey.
Delivering new music is where things fall short.
While the intention may be about a musical journey, the few new songs are simply more of the same that the band has done before. Nothing sounds new or unique.
The Killers have a distinctive enough sound that they should not have to reinvent themselves continuously to stay interesting, but when investing in a new CD, there is an expectation for more creativity than what this album offers.
Not only are the new songs relatively mediocre, the remixes are barely different. The only one that is significantly unusual is Jacques Lu Cont’s “Thin White Duke” remix of “Mr. Brightside,” that is over 10 minutes long.
When it comes down to buying the CD or not, it is best to leave on the shelves for the diehard fans. For the casual listener, this album is not nearly creative or unique enough to be worth the money.
The best plan is to simply download the new songs individually and leave the rest to the diehard fans.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Cameron Naish at cameron.naish@colorado.edu.
