Thursday, January 15, 2009

Are we Human, or are we Dancers?

The Killers have released their fourth album titled "Day & Age", which I picked up at London Drugs, since I was there to get my Cold FX for this lovely disease-filled holiday season. I popped the little disc into my computer and dragged my sick ass under the covers to listen to the new CD and close my eyes.

After the first listen, I wasn't overly thrilled about the CD, as it didn't really have anything of substance that jumped out at me. I had been anticipating a disc from them that was reminiscent of their debut album "Hot Fuss", which was filled with stand-out songs that were danceable rock tracks - meaning I could drop them in a DJ set at the club and not fear an empty dance floor, while still providing an alternative track list.

The opening track on the CD "Losing Touch" pretty much sets the tempo and style of the disc. It has a steady beat with an 80's sound to it that each song on the disc adopts in its own way. Even though the only standout is the title track of the CD, "Spaceman" (which totally rocks my world), the CD still has enough songs on it that make you want to listen from start to finish. What I am saying is, just because 99% of the songs that make it onto the charts these days are pop songs with a rock/hip hop/country appeal, doesn't mean songs that don't have an annoying chorus can't be on best selling albums.

Another track I really enjoyed on this CD was "Joyride" - and it wasn't a Roxette cover either! It did bring me back to "Rio" by Duran Duran with its sax solo in the middle of it, and I was hoping that I would open my eyes to a phone being delivered to me in a pool while I lay in the sun, but of course it was just the Vapo rub on my feet mixed with the electric blanket that was giving me the tropical fever. Mix that with the Caribbean drum beat in "I Can't Stay", and maybe if I took a bit more cold medication I really would have thought I was on a deserted island.

Of course if you are a Rock Band freak, you will also be excited to know that "Spaceman" is available for download, and I am happy to say it was one of the best $2 I spent this year. Remember, we are only 12 days into this year, and most of the money I have spent has been to keep myself from coughing up everything inside of me.

I voted this as one of my top five albums of 2008, because I do judge my albums on how much of the CD I actually listen to, and in this case, it's the whole thing!

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