Brand new year, coming up ahead...

With a little help from The Killers, wishing everyone the happiest of holidays, whatever you celebrate!

Boots

And we're caught up in the crossfire of heaven and hell.

Poor Brandon Flowers is such a tortured soul. At least that's the vibe he's trying to give off in his nifty new solo foray.

If you were so beat up, wouldn't you want Charlize Theron to come save you?

Crossfire is The Killers frontman's lead single off his upcoming album Flamingo. So far he isn't straying too far from his band's turf, and that's really not a bad thing.



The good news is that based on last week's White House visit by The Killers, this detour to solo-ville doesn't seem to be the end-of-the-road for one of my favorite bands. It maybe just a little expansion of their neon universe.

Spin me a Christmas, Guadalupe.

Elevator music doesn't put me in any sort of high holiday spirits, so for that matter, schmaltzy Christmas music doesn't do much for me either.

Bah humbug, you say?

Aqua, though, get it. If there was more Danish-Europop jingle bells playing, maybe holiday shopping wouldn't be so, um, annoyingly snoozeworthy?



And before you think I'm down on everything else holiday, lets give The Killers some credit too. Oddly playful as always this time of year, they're out with their annual Christmas tune, supporting (Red)'s fight against AIDS worldwide -- a great cause for any holiday!



Now maybe someday I'll get something better than Adam Sandler or making dreidels out of clay for Hanukkah.

Bah humbug.

Pet Shop Boys Get Their Lifetime Achievement On

It seems odd to start seeing groups I grew up with getting lifetime achievement awards.

But so it was at The Brit Awards this week that Pet Shop Boys were regaled for their Outstanding Contribution to Music. They said thanks by doing a mega-mix medley, with a suitable amount of pomp and circumstance (with some help from new friends Lady Gaga and The Killers lead singer, Brandon Flowers):



Lest you think they are already irrelevant, check out their new single Love etc.

The spaceman says, “Everybody look down! It’s all in your mind”

It's not quite the homage to 30 Rock's ubiquitous doctor that some might have hoped for, and there's no spacesuits per-se involved.

Just a great single with a warped feathery video to match:

Enjoy The Killers latest single off their stellar Day & Age album

Spaceman

The Best Albums of 2008

Once again here's Nelse with a top notch list of music from the year gone by. If you need some comparison, check out his list from last year.

1. Cut Copy “In Ghost Colours”

The memories of seeing this unknown band open for Franz Ferdinand several years ago at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver still makes me tingle. What an amazing opening act and a great debut from the band from the land down under. This follow-up disc has them experimenting even further with the dance-rock fusion with much success.

2. Vampire Weekend “Vampire Weekend”

Hands down this is one of my all time favorite records from 2008. From the first listen this album has become a classic with a blend of preppy pop-rock sounds with dash of Talking Heads, a pinch of the early Police sounds, and topped with a sprinkle of the Kinks. This is pop-perfection and easily played on endless repeat all year long.

3. Ting Tings “We Started Nothing”

Forget the hype and just take a second listen to this upbeat album from the Tings. At my first listen I have to admit I was less than impressed by the repeating “the drums, the drums, the drums”. Then came the Apple iPod ad with “Shut Up and Let Me Go” and I was curious. The album has become decidedly perfect party music for the past year.

4. The Killers “Day and Age”

One of the most anticipated of all year. Ahhh, so refreshing to have a delightfully energetic and thunderous third album from the Las Vegas rockers. Definitely another great stop on this bands long future. Are we human or are we dancer?

5. Robyn “Robyn”

A nice departure for this former one hit wonder from the nineties. She is back and totally reinvented. Cool electro-pop with a sharp edge and some tough ass lyrics!



6. MGMT “Oracular Spectacular”

So trippy, so spaced out, so cool, so I want rebel from my office job and play outside!





7. Estelle “Shine”

For me, this was what Lauryn Hill’s follow-up album should have been. I thought Estelle hit it out of the park and I crown her the queen of urban beats with silky smooth edge.


8. Kaiser Chiefs “Off With Their Heads”

Does everything Mark Ronson touch turn to gold? Not that these blokes would do any worse on their own. Definitely a highly rated album that slipped under the radar this year. What did I learn today “I learned nothing!”

9. The Last Shadow Puppets “The Age of the Understatement”

A great side project from the lead singer of the Arctic Monkeys that I discovered over New Year’s weekend after surfing some end of year lists. A groovy set of old school James Bond inspired tracks.

10. Lady Gaga “The Fame”

I have to admit that I was skeptical when this album dropped. After hearing the overplayed first single all summer I wasn’t expecting much else. Surprisingly the album presented some stand out tracks that I have been playing next stop. I also have next year’s summer jam pegged!

The worst of 2008:

Madonna “Hard Candy”: Great to see her play Denver for the first time and she still puts on the best show out there, but can she please stop giving us Spanish lessons while trying to sound urban?

Jem “Down to Earth”: I was expecting so much more from hew follow-up album after an amazing debut. Unfortunately, she sold out to the adult contemporary crowd. A few decent tracks, but sadly this one missed the mark.

Hot Chip “Made in the Dark”: Booooo! Way too many bleeps and blurps! This one gets annoying after the first listen.

Pink “Funhouse”: A good first single, but the rest of the album is quite a frightening funhouse indeed.

Record Delays:

No Annie, Franz Ferdinand, Daniel Merriweather, No Doubt or Lily Allen albums until 2009! Record labels can be mean bastards!

Pay my respects to grace and virtue, send my condolences to good.

Since I haven't pimped The Killers new single enough lately...

The Denver Egotist was kind enough to point me in the direction of a super clever live version of Human from the MTV Europe Music Awards.



This definitely beats them prancing around the desert in feathers, no?

Close your eyes, clear your heart, cut the cord.

Brandon Flowers and his pals apparently like to sing in the middle of the desert to the animals. Not a completely killer clip from The Killers, but it will do.

It's a great track.

As promised, here's Human:

Are we human or are we dancer. My sign is vital.

The Killers are back with a much anticipated new album later this fall.

The lead single, Human, is out today:



I'm guessing the boys from Vegas are pretty happy they dragged Stuart Price along for the ride this time around.

I'll get a real video posted up as soon as I see one floating around!

UPDATE 9/23: The headline has changed since I didn't quite get the lyric right. I'm dense like that. I've already replaced the youtube a few times, but the record label is clearly pulling it off, so look out for the video on here whenever they get around to releasing it.

UPDATE: 11/19 I was right the first time with the lyric, so I've changed the headline back to dancer from denser.

There are bands that should bump into each other occasionally...

Duran Duran, meet The Killers.

Mingle.

The best albums of 2007

As promised, here is the first Everything is Pop posting from Nelse. This is a fantastic addition to the blog. I look forward to seeing what comes next! Welcome to RandomTope!

I never did get around to creating my own music blog this year, like I had hoped, but here is my first stab at the topic.

For the most part the end of the year was rounded out with some really weak albums. However, there were some highlights that are worth mentioning from the past year.

My picks for the top 10 albums of 2007:

Amy Winehouse “Back to Black"

Disregard all the drama, the Britney comparisons, the scars, the boyfriend, the crap performances, the drunken photos and take a good listen to this album again. This is absolutely my number one album for the year. The music soars and I am mesmerized by Amy’s voice. Here’s to hoping she can sort herself out and deliver another knock-out album like this one!

Mika "Life in Cartoon Motion"

Is he straight, is he gay? All I say is, “Who cares?” As long as the music gets this good, does it really matter? Mika exploded onto the overseas pop charts with the songs like Love Today, Grace Kelly, Big Girls and Happy Ending. Unfortunately, he didn’t really hit over here in the U.S. I had a feeling most of us wouldn’t get it. If you aren’t afraid to hear a great pop album with a guy that sings in a falsetto voice through half the album then you might actually love it. A little bit of Freddie Mercury and more bubble-gum pop.

Lily Allen “Alright, Still”

Lily delivers some sharp lyrics and a sarcasm that caught me completely off-guard. I would hate to get in tangle with her on the street. Along with Amy Winehouse, this was another Mark Ronson produced gem that kept me rocking in 2007. Not to mention Lily has a powerhouse singing voice that is perfect on record or live.

Roisin Murphy “Overpowered”

This album will make you want to move with its massive bass lines. She's a lesser-known artist here in the US, but you may remember her previous efforts with a group called Moloko. Anyone remember the tracks “Sing it Back”, “The Time is Now” or “Fun for Me?" Well, Roisin has managed, at least in my opinion, to overpower those tracks with her second solo album. For this record she goes back to her dance-pop roots to deliver an album that has been on heavy rotation on my iPod.

Just Jack “Overtones”

Every song on Jack’s second album is as listenable as his first album “The Outer Marker”. In the same vein as Lily Allen, Just Jack delivers some very cool grooves and clever lyrics. The song “Starz in Their Eyes” sounds like an ode to Britney. Also, be sure to check out the track “I Talk Too Much,” with guest vocals from Kylie.

Mark Ronson “Version”

After enjoying two of my favorite albums from this producer, Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen, I certainly had to check out his latest offering. Not really a solo album, but a full-on collaboration with some great artists and soulful beats. Mark knows how to let the artists shine. The lead single, "Stop Me," from Daniel Merriwether turns a classic Smiths songs into a funky summer groove. Don’t miss out on the “Toxic” remake or Lily’s cover of the Kaiser Chiefs' “Oh My God”.

The Killers “Sawdust”

Although not completely a new album it does pack in some amazing unreleased tracks and b-sides. For good measure they added two new tracks, a cover of Joy Division’s “Shadowplay” and a Lou Reed collaboration, “Tranquilize”. The one gem tacked-on to the end is Stuart Price's reworked version of “Mr. Brightside”. This remix is probably one of my favorite remixes of all time.

Annie Lennox “Songs of Mass Destruction”

The Diva is back with some songs that certainly rival her debut album. Every track is sung with the raw power and emotion you would come to expect from Annie Lennox. The good news is that the album is not as somber as her last record, "Bare," and has kept me captive since its release. I think “Dark Road” was the wrong choice for the lead single here in the U.S. as there are so many other energetic tracks on the disc.

Foo Fighters “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace"

Dave Grohl and team have no problem delivering consistently strong albums and this was no exception. I didn’t know much about the band, but I found myself re-discovering their back catalogue when this album came out. Some great rock tracks are on here that should be blasted from the car stereo after a rough day at the office. Oh, and the videos are as memorable as ever! Be sure to check out the campy “Long Road to Ruin” clip.

Kylie Minogue "X"

Unfortunately, this one will not see a U.S. release until 2008. If you are willing to drop a few extra bucks for the import version you won’t be disappointed or better yet, just download it online. I am already in love! This was a last minute must-add to my best of 2007. Welcome back Kylie… we’ve missed you!

Be sure to check out these other 2007 contenders:

Common "Finding Forever"
Seal "System"
The White Stripes "Icky Thump"
Alicia Keyes "As I Am"
Belanova "Fantasia Pop"
Metro Station "Metro Station"

In the sweet mojave rain, the boy was on his own

Undercover trees are genius when Santa goes on a bender in the desert.

Beware, however, the insidious cheesy sweater trend, that is sadly percolating this year.

If you have not gathered yet, this is a perfectly warped winter welcome from The Killers:



All proceeds from Don't Shoot Me Santa will benefit the (RED) campaign supporting The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa.

You can download it HERE on iTunes get the old-school CD HERE on Amazon.

What a great way to dive into the holiday season with a smile!

On a separate The Killers note, if you care to see their moody new video for Tranquilize, I have updated this old post to include it.

I got this feeling that they‘re gonna break down the door, I got this feeling that they’re gonna come back for more

The Killers are back with a blast of new musical goodness.

With Sawdust, their new b-sides album, dropping soon, the boys from Las Vegas are giving us two new singles to whet the palate until November.

Both are pretty darn nifty, if I may say so myself.

The first is a cover of Joy Division's Shadowplay. Technically out to promote the Ian Curtis biopic Control (which I've written about HERE), it's also on Sawdust. It's a bold yet reverent cover.

The official lead single, however, is new territory for Brandon Flowers and company. They've partenered up with rock legend, Lou Reed for an edgy anthem. It's tight, quick and takes you for a ride. It's REALLY good.

Take a listen to both Shadowplay & Tranquilize:



Both are supposed to be on iTunes already. I've only found Shadowplay so far. Sawdust is out Nov. 13.

Update 10/15: The band's website now says Tranquilize will be released on iTunes Oct. 23

Update 12/3: Here's the official video for Tranquilize. I really dig it: