You had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend

Musings on music delivered when I dig myself out.

You had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend

Or the new single from The Killers, "Somebody Told Me"

The Killers are an interesting sort of band. In one respect, they're very much like Franz Ferdinand in that they can chalk up much of their buzz to the Blogosphere, with blogs by Ultragrrrl and KarenPlusOne coming to mind in particular. If it weren't for their support (and countless others' too) of The Killers' looks-- I mean music (sorry), it's possible they would be just another band from the Las Vegas.

But yes, there music is good too, particularly their single "Somebody Told Me." They're a bit like the now greatly ignored The Faint, in that they use loud and laser-like synths and dabs of backbeat. Distinguishing them is the lack of mellowdramatic goth overtones -- a pleasant ommission. Also, The Killers are much more rock-centered, exemplified in the tense guitar riffs and ploinking bass. Singer Brandon Flowers's liberal tenor has as much drive as the song's chorus has bounce, laying out semi-sensical lyrics like it ain't no thing. Possibly the song's greatest moment is at the end of the prechorus where everything cuts out to go "WHAM, BAM" then dives back into the song -- a fantastic 80s homage. So hmm, with all this it sounds like The Killers are due to blow up any moment now -- I mean, they've already played with The Cure. Maybe NME would dub them the "best band ever" and Rolling Stones will call them the "saviors of rock n' roll" or something. STAY PURE, BOYS, STAY PURE!!

Published Friday, May 07, 2004 | | E-mail this post