Glamourous Indie Rock N Roll

Nowadays all these songs exist to be dripfed to the masses : on the singles, compilation albums, exclusive compilations, and the inevitable Deluxe Collectors Edition reissue in a decades time. There’s almost too much stuff out there now. In the past, the b-sides album - “Hatful of Hollow”, “Barbed Wire Kisses”, “Sci Fi Lullabies” was an event of magnificent proportions : an opportunity to reset the material that never quite fit in a new context of its own. Or a cheap and easy cash-in, dependent upon your point of view.

The fact that some bands even bother with b-sides is worthy in itself. One day these bands won’t be recording, won’t exist, and all that will be left is what is left behind : recordings and memories. Every new song could be a brilliant thing that means something to somebody : “You Know I’m Right”.

Albeit, anyone who thinks “Tony The Pony” by Morrissey, or “As You Said” by Joy Division were the pinnacle of their artistic achievement is a cloth eared goth. Still, if Led Zep and Pink Floyd had done b-sides, then they’d be rolling in box sets.

So, the B-sides album is a dying breed. Replaced by the iTunes play list and the Digital MP3 Blog. So, to their credit, The Killers - who seem to have become quietly huge - have decided to eschew the usual career pat with “Sawdust”, an oddities compendium of b-sides, covers, unreleased stuff, and the odd new song. In some way to defeat the preconception that the b-side is a lesser song, “Sawdust” toploads itself with new single - the efficient Lou Reed duet of “Tranquilize” - and a cover of Joy Divisions “Shadowplay” that makes the original sound like it could’ve been a traumatised Westlife : the deeply oppressive desperation is superceded by a swooping chorus. (Some fan discussion has rubbished the original : so lets make one thing clear, You Can’t Cover Joy Division And Make It Sound Better Than The Original)

Overall, what “Sawdust” does do is prove that The Killers don’t write B-Sides : they just write songs. Let us not forget “How Soon Is Now?” started life as the b-side to “William, It Was Really Nothing”. And whilst there is nothing on “Sawdust” that can match the majesty of The Smiths, what the album does have is a collection of songs that sound like a Killers album with the obvious singles stripped out. Almost every song here is as good as any Killers album track. And there’s no obvious quality gap caused by frantic last minute studio noodling to make an extra track for a single here. Everything on here sounds as well-crafted and thoughtful as the rest of their output.

That said, The Killers do occasionally grate. Brandon Flowers histrionic vocals occasionally sound like someone whose always straining for the stars. With the lack of light and shade, it’s a case of slight bombast overkill which causes a uniformity of song. There‘s also a lack of stylistic difference. No drunken bar room brawl boogie or experimental dated techno excursions here excepting a bonus remix by Jacques Lecont. Just, as the song suggest, “Glamourous Indie Rock N Roll”, which is probably the single highpoint of the set.

“Sawdust” is a worthy Killers album, that sounds like a new Killers album, even if it patently isn’t. At a weighty 17 songs, it’s fine value for money and a efficient bookend to the current era of the band. If you liked “Sam’s Town”, get this.

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