More recently, the Killer's released their second album, Sam's Town, which was far more artful and ambitious than Hot Fuss. In the following essay I will compare and contrast the two albums by looking at the singles released on both albums. Through this analysis I will convey the differences in the Killers' sound and lyrics between the two albums, as well as the defining characteristic of the Killers sound.
The Killers first came together in 2002. Brandon Flowers, the lead singer, had just been kicked out of his former band, Flush Response, when he met David Keuning, the soon-to-be Killer's guitarist. Flowers and Keuning got along particularly well and immediately began to collaborate and write music. Two weeks after they first met, Flowers' synth-pop background and Keuning's Oasis obsession came together to create the eventual commercial hit, “Mr. Brightside.” After composing more songs the two newfound friends decided to play a few shows, but before they could do so, they needed a full band. That is when they found ex-medical courier, Mark Stoermer, and a classical percussion major at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, Ronnie Vannucci. On the new band's first album, each musician's distinct musical background contributed to their developing sound. Flowers was obviously influenced by his prior band's synth-pop style while Keuning was heavily inspired by Oasis. Stoermer was a trumpet and guitar player before he was asked to play in the band, as well as the son of a big band-style musician. Vannucci was classically trained and was thus influenced by classical music. These multiple influences merged to create the Killers' debut album, Hot Fuss.
Hot Fuss was released in 2004 on Island Records, and for a first album, it was a respectable effort. Although the band had not been together for a long time and each member had varying opinions about music, it successfully brought the Killers into the public eye. With Hot Fuss, the Killers managed to introduce a well-tailored new wave sound that would inspire, or spark interest in, a brief musical movement that would be christened as the 80's revival. More importantly, Hot Fuss was essentially an album with four towering singles and seven other distinct songs. It did not have fluidity; nor did it have a concept that could be applied to the album's entirety. Even band members, on several occasions, have commented on Hot Fuss's disjointed nature. For example, in an interview with the Artisan News Service, Ronnie Vannucci says, “Hot Fuss was basically a demo.” After listening to the singles off this album, it becomes clear that the singles released off of it ultimately defined Hot Fuss.
The first single, “Mr. Brightside,” features layers of synthesizers and a generally upbeat easy-to-dance-to sound. The lyrics, however, contrast the glam of the musical backdrop of the song with gloom. The song suggests that the protagonist loves a girl who has fallen for another guy. The protagonist then proceeds to imagine what could be going on between the girl and the other man. Essentially, the theme of the song is jealousy, and is well portrayed by the gloomy lyrics in the song.
The second single, “Somebody Told Me,” is a far more aggressive song, with a melody that is driven by the guitars, as opposed to the synthesizer-led melody of “Mr. Brightside.” It is also a less serious song. For example, “Mr. Brightside” can be appreciated as a legitimately worthy song, but some of the instrumental aspects of “Somebody Told Me,” are almost laughable, as well as the lyrics. The distorted guitar during the verses is something one might find in a punk song. The synthesizer intro sounds somewhat childish and ridiculous, and one could argue that the song's overall purpose is to be a radio hit. The only interesting part about the song is the bass riff. The immature lyrics succeed at being catchy, but have no further substance. The chorus,
Somebody told me,
That you had a boyfriend,
Who looked like a girlfriend,
That I had in February of last year.
It's not confidential,
I've got potential.
is clearly something not be analyzed as art, or even be taken seriously.
The third single, “Smile Like You Mean It,” features an excessive amount of synthesizers, which is a common attribute in all three other singles. Unlike their previous single, the lyrics of this song actually make a strong statement as the band references society's tendency to feign happiness only so others do not know they are having problems. The lyrics also appear to make reference to “The Great Gatsby.” Many of the song's lyrics correlate to the plot line found in F. Scott Fitzgerald's highly regarded novel.
