ALBUM REVIEW: The Killers - Sawdust

The Killers
Sawdust
Island, 2007
** out of 5

Welcome to The Killers’ contribution to the annual glut of Christmas rush compilations. Right off the bat, we must deduct a point from Sawdust for the fact that most of these songs have been released before, as B-Sides and bonus tracks on Japanese EPs and whatnot. Essentially, The Killers are forcing their fans to purchase many of the same songs twice because those loyal fans are dying to hear that much-vaunted Lou Reed duet, Tranquilize.

As well, we must deduct another point for the general disoriented air that odds and sods albums always have, no matter who they’re by. There’s a fundamental lack of cohesion: tellingly, the three covers on Sawdust are by First Edition, Dire Straits and Joy Division, respectively. I never thought country-rock, poodle-pop and Manchester gloom had much in common, but I guess I was wrong.

So we’re left with three points, which seems like sort of a middling mark to give any album. But wait! We should deduct another point for some of the weak fare on offer. On Tranquilize, poor old Lou Reed sounds like he was only briefly brought out of his cryogenic chamber to croak a few words before being frozen next to Walt Disney again. Could this be the same man who sang Sunday Morning? Jesus, talk about intimations of mortality.

One basic problem is that, in trying to imitate their eighties touchstones like Depeche Mode and U2, The Killers often overegg the pudding. In attempting to create stadium-friendly anthems, they seem to employ the increasingly common “more-is-more” dictum which basically says, “Why use one synthesizer when you can use five?” Thus, a cover like Joy Division’s Shadowplay loses its distinctively minimal tone and sounds like a blustery modern rock production.

And don’t get me started on Romeo and Juliet, the Dire Straits cover. I mean, Brothers in Arms is one of those huge albums that’s rightfully forgotten about ten years later; the eighties version of Frampton Comes Alive. Who covers Dire Straits, and why?

Don’t get me wrong, though. There are some good songs on Sawdust, most tellingly, when Brandon Flowers does his best David Bowie impersonation. Where the White Boys Dance has a good little Thin White Duke groove going: all new-wave hair and vacuous pouting. As well, Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf is of a piece with most any track on Hot Fuss, whose sessions it came from. The Killers really ought to patent that gritty-but-catchy-verses / anthemic-chorus combination. They’re so damned good at it.

Finally, I couldn’t possibly write a review of The Killers without praising the drumming of Ronnie Vannucci. He really is one of the best out there right now. I mean, check out the stick-work on the demo version of Move Away. It’s not overplayed and the fills are tight and intelligent.

However, these positive points fail to disguise the cynical whiff of commercialism that Sawdust exudes, especially when the release date is in November. The Killers may or may not be The Best Band in America Right Now^TM, but never mind: all but the most ardent fans should avoid this album, and instead wait for the proper follow-up to Sam’s Town.

Review by Greg Hood-Morris

Agree? Disagree? Email Greg at criticizegreg@gmail.com

 

Comments

[Brian McKechnie]

I actually liked this album a lot (and I'm not a fan of the band). I do think you need to be in a certain headspace to enjoy it though.

-Brian

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