The Killers: Sawdust

Er, I'm two weeks too late with this, but I was quite annoyed that the NME only gave this album 6 out of 10 (and I always read the NME two weeks late). Despite a dodgy middle section, for a B-sides album it deserves a LOT more credit. Plus all the songs they said were the good ones were the rubbish ones. Grr! I was also annoyed by their holding up of Oasis as the master of the B-side album. Yawn. Get over it.
I had most of these songs already, but I am quite a big Killers fan so I have hunted them down over the past year or three. Tranquillize has obviously not been on the scene long, and whilst committing the dual crimes of having Lou Reed guesting AND incorporating a children's choir, it still manages to get stuck in your head like a crowbar. Shadowplay is a brilliant cover. I like Joy Division music but can't stand his voice so this cover was ideal for me. I really enjoyed it when they played this at the Wembley Arena gig earlier this year too (was that this year? I think it was). All the Pretty Faces I already had but it's still an album-worthy B-side. Leave The Bourbon on The Shelf I hadn't heard but it had a good sing-a-long chorus.
The best 'new' track on the album for me was Sweet Talk, I really liked the keyboards. I don't even know where this track is from? Really good though. Under The Gun I've had for as long as I had Hot Fuss, although this is a different mix. It's amazingly catchy and still reminds me of many hours playing Mario Golf. The Killers and Mario Golf will be forever entwined in my mind. I won't make a joke about moustaches... I'll leave that to the NME (although he should shave it off cos he looks like a prick, obviously).
I don't like Where The White Boys Dance much, it's a bit dirgy. And I already have it on Sam's Town, which was only this year (I think- God, I've got Alzheimer's) so I don't need it again. Show Me How goes for the Bright Eyes technique of having such an annoying intro to a song that it makes you want to turn it off. The song doesn't do much to redeem itself after that either. I think Move Away was on the Spiderman soundtrack or something... it's Brandon trying to be Bono. Just skip it and pretend it never happened.
Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll... everyone already has. Probably not needed on this album. Who Let You Go, another from my Mario Golf period. I love it. As good as anything on Hot Fuss (well except you know, the biggies). The Ballad of Michael Valentine, again, another strong B-side. I wasn't too keen on Ruby, Don't take Your Love to Town, but I don't like covers much. Even the Killers cover of Morrissey's Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself is lacklustre, and that's one of my top Moz songs of all time. Not sure why that's not on this album, but probably for that very reason.
Daddy's Eyes is good, but reminds me of All the Pretty Faces. The stripped-down version of Sam's Town sounds really different. I like alternative versions. Romeo and Juliet: I hate the original but this version is OK. Change Your Mind: absolutely brilliant. I've had this one for as long as I've had all the oldies too. I think it's one of my favourite Killers songs ever.
And finally the Jacques Lucont Thin White Duke dance mix of Mr Brightside. Probably in my top five dance mixes of all time, and that includes the Arctic Monkey's When the Sun Goes Down (Fake ID's Scummy Mix) and the fantastic Eminem/Morrissey mash-up 'This Charming Booty'. It really takes you on a journey. A very uplifting one!
So yeah. I'd give this an 8 even with all the filler in the middle, because the good is very, very good indeed.
The NME says, it's really easy to dislike The Killers. Well it's par for the course for any self-respecting indie kid (or granny, as I am) to hate the NME. And it's because of reviews like that, and then they'll give Natasha Beddingfield an 8 or summat. So fuck them.