The Killers

Seeing as the thread about 'bands you have a complete catalogue of' was getting heavily bogged down in discussion of the relative merits of The Killers, I thought it would be best to make a thread about this band!

Some people believe there are similarites between the Gaslight Anthem and The Killers; I think this is rubbish.

People have also said The Killers latest album doesn't live upto the second one, and also that the second one isn't as good as the first one; again in my opinion, rubbish- all three are brilliant, even if they take a little bit of getting used to.

Brandon Flowers: genius in my eyes, but maybe not everyone elses.

What does everyone else think about these issues, and the band as a whole?

I cant stand the killers.

I have never understood the comparison either past maybe the echo on the vocals given them a somewhat similar sound.

I don't like this band, but I can hear a similarity with The '59 Sound Brian vocals and Flowers especially on Old White Lincoln

Prisoner wrote:

I don't like this band, but I can hear a similarity with The '59 Sound Brian vocals and Flowers especially on Old White Lincoln

The Killers do seem quite a divisive band now- either love or hate. I recall a few years ago (Hot Fuss, c. 2004/5) a lot of my friends would listen to them, stand them- but were not massive fans. That seems to have changed.

I honestly really don't get the Gaslight vocal comparisons, but everytime I tell someone to listen to TGA I usually get 'they sound like the Killers'!!

Tomaldo wrote:

Prisoner wrote:

I don't like this band, but I can hear a similarity with The '59 Sound Brian vocals and Flowers especially on Old White Lincoln

The Killers do seem quite a divisive band now- either love or hate. I recall a few years ago (Hot Fuss, c. 2004/5) a lot of my friends would listen to them, stand them- but were not massive fans. That seems to have changed.

I honestly really don't get the Gaslight vocal comparisons, but everytime I tell someone to listen to TGA I usually get 'they sound like the Killers'!!

Hah the first time I heard the Killers was just after the 59 Sound leaked an a lot of people were mentioning that it sounded like them.

I can sorta see (or I should say, hear) the comparison, though I don't think its as clear as some people make it out to be. But what annoys me is that the comparison should be between Fallon and Flowers, not TGA and the Killers. I like both bands, but they are very different musically beyond the vocals of the lead singer.

I like the Killers, I think they're great. Brandon Flowers can be a bit pretentious ass but yeah I think they're an amazing band...except for that Somebody Told Me song...I hate that song so much.

TGA sounds nothing like them, though OWL does sorta sound like a dancier song now that i think about it but I don't see a resemblance to the Killers lyrically or vocally. Plus there are so many other bands that sound even more like the Killers...

I think the Killers sound continually evolves, I don't think you really notice this unless you do listen to each album a couple of times. I think that when a band makes it big there are 3 groups. Those who like them, those who do not like them genuinely, and those who don't like them because they've made it big (music snobs). The latter group annoys me with their "I'm so cool cause I don't like bands that are mainstream" and when the bands they do like make it big they think that every new fan is a "poser".

khchausk8er wrote:

I like the Killers, I think they're great....I think the Killers sound continually evolves

I agree. All three albums so far could arguably have been made by 3 different bands. People dismissed Sam's Town far too quickly after probably only one or two listens, yet it is far superior to Hot Fuss. In my opinion they fact they've not churned out album after album of the same stuff (like TGA, with SOS to '59) makes them so great. They don't seem willing to rest on their laurels.

As I said earlier, I think Brandon Flowers is great though.

khchausk8er wrote:

those who don't like them because they've made it big (music snobs). The latter group annoys me with their "I'm so cool cause I don't like bands that are mainstream" and when the bands they do like make it big they think that every new fan is a "poser".

This really, really, really annoys me. People who do this this they are genuine music fans, but they are completely the opposite.

Thought the killers started well, got better and then went majorly downhill.

Sure it's evolving their style, nothing wrong with that I just preffered their first 2 albums, Sams Town I thought was best.

Agreed about the mainstream haters though, same thing with Green Day, evoles sound, becomes mainstream and all of a sudden there's a queue of haters around the block.

Oh, and TGA sound nothing alike with the Killers, not sure how anyone made that connection personally, the voice is the only similarity for me and thats only on rare occasions.

im outta here as soon as 59 sound goes gold...

I don't think you can deny that Brian and Brandon have similar voices. But the reason we don't think they sound a lot like the Killers is that when you know a band really well, you can recognize the subtleties a lot better than someone who hasn't heard the band. Happens all the time when my dad is playing something, and I'll say the vocalist sounds like so and so, and he just doesn't hear it, yet it's clear as day to me.

Love The Killers! And I agree, all their albums have their own brilliance apart from the others.

And I agree with simo. The similarities between the Killers and Gaslight are gone now that I know the band so well, but when I first heard Gaslight I thought of them as The Killers w/o synth.
I think the comparison is drawn because a lot TGA's songs line up in style to The Killers' more anthemic songs, i.e. When You Were Young. The energy and rising melody call those songs to mind. Also, I do think Brandon Flowers and Brian Fallon have similar voice qualities, though maybe Fallon's is a bit rougher.

Thinking about it, I could see Brian Fallon singing When You Were Young. I must admit even when I discovered Gaslight I never made a link to the Killers until one of my friends said they sounded just the same. I just don't get it for some reason!!!

I think Read My Mind would fit for a better Brian Killers cover

that's a song I actually like from The Killers

I didn't when I discovered them nor do I see anything in the comparison now other than the voice.

Perhaps if Brian did a Killers song i'd see it, but for me the amount of Gaslight compared to Killers I listen to shows (to me at least) that they're nothing alike.

I still don't get why they're compared to the Killers. I don't hear it at all. But maybe that's just me.

Anyway, I never really used to like the Killers, except the odd listen to Mr Brightside. I used to find Brandon's voice too whiny. The single from the second album were quite good but I never listened to the full album.

However my dad likes them and I bought him their latest album, Day & Age when it came out. I liked what I heard when he played it and I kinda stole it and played it non-stop. I like how every song is different in style yet all sounds like the Killers, there's only one song I don't like much, I think it's a single now.. the one about fairytales or something.

A Dustland Fairytale is the current single in the US. I really like it, even though is is perhaps not one of the best songs from the album. I think the music video for it adds a lot to the song, which is not usually the case for me.

Yeah, that's the one I meant - a single in the UK too. It's growing on me.
I haven't seen the video, I'll have to check it out.

Tomaldo wrote:

A Dustland Fairytale is the current single in the US. I really like it, even though is is perhaps not one of the best songs from the album. I think the music video for it adds a lot to the song, which is not usually the case for me.

It's a good song, but not one of their best. I agree I think the music video does add to their song.
They actually have some really great videos, but I think the video for When You Were Young is their best, that one was like...WOW.

The Read My Mind video was a little strange to say the least. Great song though.

Tomaldo wrote:

The Read My Mind video was a little strange to say the least. Great song though.

Actually just watched the video, apparently the music video had nothing to do with the lyrics, but they were set on having fun filming it in Japan.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1549273/20070104/index.jhtml

On another note I think I may try to pick up Hot Fuss on vinyl after I pay for some of my bills... not the one that is limited to 100 pressings tho...that thing goes for as high as $900 US(650 GBP).

Any other edition will cost me at least $80 I think.

I'm currently watching them at T in the Park on tv. Awesome stuff.
Anyone seen them live?

Yup, and they're fawesome! Put on a stellar and exciting show. Me n' my friends had an amazing time, even though our seats were junk :\ Would've loved to have been up close.
Also, I got rear-ended in the parking lot that night... kinda ruined the night for me.

Carrying on our other conversation, I'd love to see them in a small venue. Or even a medium one.. Well, wouldn't say no to a huge one but y'know.
I don't know where I'm going with this... I'd just like to see them live. XD