The Killers' 'Hot Fuss' album - Tiscali Music Reviews

07/06/2004

Album release date: 7th June 2004

The debut album from Las Vegas indie kids The Killers is a perfect example of why a big record collection informs the greatest bands.

Oasis fused, punk, glam, 60's pop and baggy, The Charlatans have been informed by Curtis Mayfield, Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons and the Stones, Nirvana extolled the virtues of the Beatles, Sabbath, The Melvins and The Pixies and The Killers are no different.

As frontman Brandon Flowers explains, "We love all the Iggy Pop records as well as Duran Duran, The Stones, The Smiths and U2, and all these bands go into our sound".

'Hot Fuss' certainly wears its influences on its sleeve. From the dark-disco of 'Smile Like You Mean It' through the catchy debut single 'Mr Brightside' and self explanatory 'Indie Rock & Roll' this is a record made by a band in love with music.

Elsewhere 'Somebody Told Me' is a Strokesian anthem that beats anything on 'Room On Fire' whilst 'All These Things That I've Done', at one point, sounds like the Beach Boys gone Gospel!

'Hot Fuss' is the kind of debut that will be on everybody's lips come December's end of year polls.

It stands alongside 'Definitely Maybe' and 'Is This It' as a classic first salvo in the war against mediocrity.

Energetic, innovative and consistently surprising 'Hot Fuss' is a remarkable record from an extraordinary new band.

"...incredible set of songs..." Music Week

"Ambition, sex, noise; no filler, these Killers" NME