Tag Archives: the killers

#1411: The Killers – Tranquilize

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Now, if I remember correctly, the video for The Killers’ ‘Tranquilize’ was initially available on NME’s website as an exclusive. A little research goes to show I’m right on this. This was the new song / single to promote the band’s Sawdust compilation, a collection of B-sides, covers and rarities made during the sessions for Sam’s Town. But when I went to watch it, the video’s quality was quite shitty. I don’t think I made it past the first few seconds of the song either. The XP computer we had back in those days was on its last circuits. It definitely wasn’t too long after that the video was making its rounds on MTV2 however, in good CRT TV-screen quality. ‘Tranquilize’ features Lou Reed. For a long time, I thought he only sung the ending section of the song and Brandon Flowers was somehow putting on a pretty good old man voice for the most part. Reed’s not lip-syncing his parts in the video, except for the ending, and Flowers was – both his and Reed’s vocals usually. So that’s how I saw the song when I was 12. Turns out, from the second verse on, Reed is always there. Their voices blend very well together.

In the back of my mind, I’ve felt that there’s something really strange about ‘Tranquilize’ that shouldn’t work. I think it’s just the fact it was a single. Out of all the singles The Killers had released up to that point, ‘Tranquilize’ was definitely the strangest one. I do think it might just be one of their best songs. But it wouldn’t get people up on their feet like a Hot Fuss number or ‘When You Were Young’. ‘Tranquilize’ is a little spooky and sinister. The droning synths at the beginning sets, leading into the thick bass line by Mark Stoermer. You’ve got those ghost kids singing alongside Reed after the first chorus. There’s that rising progression during those “Got this feeling…” sections that are a rush, uh, giving a feeling… that something bad’s about to happen, as Flowers sings during those parts. But then those give way to the lighter, “string”-led choruses where he and Reed sing in unison. And then just when you feel we’re getting deeper and deeper into the dread as the song nears its end, Reed comes in for the optimistic, stand-up-and-hand-on-heart ending to end things on a hopeful note. Takes you in different directions, this song.

The problem is, I can’t pinpoint what ‘Tranquilize’ is about. There’s something of a love song within. There’s something of a political commentary. Got some religious imagery, paranoia, scenes of haunted playgrounds. A real mixture going on. Maybe that’s what it is, a love story in the midst of a turbulent society. All I know is, this track comes from a time when less effects were being put on Brandon Flowers’s voice. There’s pitch correction all over Hot Fuss. And I think the songs made in the Sam’s Town times only prevail from this change. His natural voice had much more character. He sounded more expressive, and ‘Tranquilize’ was another gem that show his vocals off during that period. The fact that Lou Reed’s also singing alongside him is an added bonus. From what I can find, they don’t seem to have ever performed it live together before Reed’s passing in 2013. It’s a shame. Flowers sings it all in the live videos I see, and there’s definitely something missing. It’s the collaboration that makes ‘Tranquilize’ what it is. I’m glad it exists.

#1096: The Killers – Read My Mind

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So I think this might be the greatest song The Killers have ever done. Forget ‘Mr. Brightside’ or ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’. Nah, it’s ‘Read My Mind’ from the band’s Sam’s Town album, their sophomore effort released back in 2006. I remember that era of the band quite well. That album came around when I was just starting my first year of secondary school. ‘When You Were Young’ arrived as the triumphant first single, Brandon Flowers had the moustache. ‘Bones’ followed as the next single. Their first Christmas single followed. That’s a good one. And then came ‘Read My Mind’ as the third single.

Now, to me, The Killers have always been a band that you can always count on for great singles. They always seem to be the best songs on every album they make. And when it came to Sam’s Town, each one that followed after the next continued that winning streak the band had established ever the first release of ‘Mr. Brightside’ years before. Now, eleven-year-old me would see the ‘Read My Mind’ video frequently on MTV2 when it was time for its release, and I thought the song was cool, you know? The group were riding around on bikes and getting up to all sorts of antics in Tokyo, and the music matched the uplifting mood of the visuals. But a closer listen to the song in proper headphones throughout the years revealed just how hooky and infectious the entire track is, from the those ghostly backing vocals to the guitar fills after each iteration of the ‘read my mind’ title phrase in the verses. There are a lot more melodic tidbits to latch on to, but those are just a couple I can highlight.

I don’t know what the song’s about. Brandon Flowers has never really given much away in terms of the meaning either. What he has said before is that it’s one of his favourite Killers songs, it started out as a completely different song and that it means a lot to people because when they play it live at concerts the crowd goes crazy. It must be important to the band in some way, as their latest singles compilation is named after a lyric from the song. From what I’ve gathered, looking back at this period in the Killers history, they were very much on their Springsteen/U2 tip and the lyrics seem to be very much in the vein of the former, written from the perspective of a self-determined man who’s looking to get out of town with this lady he’s interested in. There’s a ‘Born to Run’ feeling about it all, but Brandon Flowers and co. deliver it all in a way that make it distinctly Killers. Also, gotta give huge props to the solo on this track. Huge feeling of release when it cascades into the bridge.

My iPod #552: The Killers – Human

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After deciding to enter Bruce Springsteen-ish arena rock territory on Sam’s Town, the band decided to more or less go further down that road on their third album Day & Age, but took out the guitars, implemented a lot more synthesizers and gave every song a ‘boom bap’ beat to which someone somewhere would be able to dance to. “Human” was released as the album’s first single and proceeded to become one of the band’s most popular tracks.

Brandon Flowers wants to know if we are human or dancer. Six and a bit years later, the lyric still confuses many. Though really it is a question simply asking whether we hold more significance to what meets the eye. Brandon wants the answers, so much so that he is on his knees, but knows that it will be a long time before he gets a result. As mentioned earlier, the song mainly uses synthesizers and keyboards to create a soaring sonic landscape on top of a clicky, palm-muted guitar lick that continuously fades in and out of the mix as time goes on. My personal favourite section of the track is the “Pay my respects to grace and virtue” verse, in which a lone synthesizer plays to the right along the driving bass and drums by Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannucci. Something about that specific part is just perfect to me.

My iPod #382: The Killers – For Reasons Unknown

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One time when I was in year seven, just starting life in secondary school, a friend of mine randomly started singing “there was an open chaaiiiiiiir” and kept on repeating that line again. This forced me to question what was wrong with him as I joking began to question him about his mental health.

It all made sense a few months later, when the video “For Reasons Unknown” started showing on MTV. The line makes up a funny second verse in the track where Brandon Flowers wails: “There was an open chaaaaaiiiir/We sat down iiiiiiiiiin/The open chaaaiiir”, before going into the pre-chorus again. Still, that track was played over and over again that I eventual began to start liking it. I had no choice to be honest; the lyrics were permanently etched into my brain to the video’s excessive air time.

The song was released as “Sam’s Town”‘s final single, before the band went away for a year or so preparing their third album. The track is different from many other Killers stuff, as Brandon Flowers actually takes bass duties while Mark Stoermer plays the second guitar (as is shown in the video). I did not know that the track was a narrative based on Flowers’ grandmother who suffers/ed from Alzheimer’s disease. Kind of brings me down thinking about it, actually. But it is a very bold and forward-moving track, with a very passionate vocal performance from Brandon. And an overall solid performance by the four guys.

My iPod #123: The Killers – Bones

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After “When You Were Young” became the new hot stuff and its chorus were sung from the mouths of many a Killers fanatic, people were wondering what was going to follow from the LA four-piece. The first single from the band’s second album “Sam’s Town” reached number two in the UK, and has risen to become one of the band’s most popular songs.

Could they match the former single’s success? With a music video directed by none other than Tim Burton, I think they really wanted to. It didn’t. It reached number fifteen over here. But don’t get me wrong, the last thing I’m trying to do is deter you from listening to this song.

“COME WITH MEEEEEEEE”

Why is that sung at the beginning? Is it supposed to be a link between the previous song on the album? Is it a tie-in to the album’s concept? Does “Sam’s Town” even have a concept? Why am I asking you all these questions?

After that short but triumphant opening, “Bones” actually begins with a lovely melody played on the keyboard with accompanying guitar, bass and drums before changing into the minor key as the verse begins. The song is about a relationship where the narrator really wants to ‘get to know’ the other person. Originally, “Bones” was called “It’s Only Natural” reinforcing the biological theme. The music video for the song takes it into creepy, yet comical levels.

Until tomorrow.

Jamie.