Here's the deal. There's one key to staying relevant in the music world. Keep releasing music. It never surprises me how certain bands will release a debut album to great success, then spend the next 3 years making their follow-up, only to have it released to mediocre reviews and lukewarm sales. The reason why this happens...EVERY...SINGLE...TIME: people forget.
A band's shelf life is 18 months. If you don't release something within 18 months of your last release (or single), the band expires and the world of music moves on. Perfect example: the White Stripes. They've released 6 albums in 8 years...and what's the result? They're considered one of the biggest rock bands of the generation. On the flip side, anyone remember Hot Hot Heat? They had a huge break-out album in 2002...then took 3 years to put out a even better follow-up. But it didn't matter, by then, it was too late. People forgot about them. Linkin Park is a good example of how to take time in between releases but to stay relevant. Release a "Tide Over" album. That's an album that a band releases to "tide over" its fans until it's next big release. Linkin Park released a Live album, a remix album and a mash-up album, and each of their big releases kept the band at the top of the game.
The Killers have taken a page out of this playbook with the release of their new B-Side album, entitled Sawdust. What's kind of sad about this release, is that I think I like it better than the last "official" release. Regardless of what anyone thinks, the Killers are all over the place, even though they're merely re-issuing old tracks sprinkled with a few new ones. It's a smart move and look out for them when they release album number #3.
Here are the 11 Best Songs by The Killers:
1. Rio (Rio)
2. A View To A Kill (Decade)
3. Save A Prayer (Rio)
4. Anyone Out There (Duran Duran)
5. Hungry Like the Wolf (Rio)
6. Union of the Snake (Seven and The Ragged Tiger)
7. Of Crimes and Passion (Seven and The Ragged Tiger)
8. Girls On Film (Duran Duran)
9. Come Undone (The Wedding Album)
10. Reach Up For the Sunrise (Astronaut)
11. Ordinary World (The Wedding Album)
Buy Sawdust here.
You talk about this being the best stuff by The Killers, and yet there are 11 Duran Duran songs at the bottom. Was that a mistake or did I miss some snide joke?
ReplyDeleteEither way, you're pretty accurate in what you're saying, even though I wasn't as impressed with Sawdust.
==TJ==
I think the list is correct. The Killers only has bad songs. :)
ReplyDeleteTo initiate a list, let's start with:
ReplyDelete1. When you were young
(abbey road version)
2. All the things I've done
(live 8 version)
3. Read my mind
Roland from Holland
I understand that The killers have theire influences on 80's music but I think that there are only a few tracks were you can actualy compare their sound with Duran Duran. Jenny, on Hot Fudge, is the track with most early Duran Duran sound,The synth atmospheric intro and the bass line almost identical to Johnn Taylor's style. But I also feel that most of thier work has a lot more to do with The Cars, Tomm Petty and The Cure. This are ten good tracks...I am not saying they are superv!
ReplyDelete1. Somebody Told Me
2. Mr. Bright Side
3. Jenny was a Frined of mine
4. Smile Like you Mean it
5. All the Things I’ve Done
6. When You were Young
7. Bones
8. Sam’s Town
9. Can you Read my Mind
10. Human
1) Read my mind
ReplyDelete2) A dustland fairytale(Joint best)
3) Mr Brightside
4) All these things that i'v done
5) When you were young
6) Sam's town (abbey road version)
7) Spaceman
8) For reasons unknown
9) Jenny was a friend of mine
10)Somebody told me
11) Human
12) Smile like you mean it
13) Glamorous indie rock and roll
14) Bones
15) Bling
16) Sweet talk
17) This is your life
From a die hard killers fan who has probably listened to their stuff more times than they have played them!
Could have kept going but those are the really great ones, plus my favouritenumbers 17 LOL
1) Read my mind
ReplyDelete2) A dustland fairytale(Joint best)
3) Mr Brightside
4) All these things that i'v done
5) When you were young
6) Sam's town (abbey road version)
7) Spaceman
8) For reasons unknown
9) Jenny was a friend of mine
10)Somebody told me
11) Human
12) Smile like you mean it
13) Glamorous indie rock and roll
14) Bones
15) Bling
16) Sweet talk
17) This is your life
From a die hard killers fan who has probably listened to their stuff more times than they have played them!
Could have kept going but those are the really great ones, plus my favouritenumbers 17 LOL