In honor of the 34th year-mark of the prettiest face in the rock world today (oh and it’s also Father’s Day!), I list down a handful of my favorites from Brandon Flowers, and of course the Killers, here below in no particular order. This is obviously the abridged version.
Cheers to more strangely catchy lines, absurd metaphors, arena rock songs, and summer tours in Manila!
Since the year-end traditionally leads to year-end lists, I figured why not join in the bandwagon fun? I present, in no particular order and with no deep thought involved, really, my list of favorite songs of 2013.
1. Instant Crush, Daft Punk featuring Julian Casablancas. From the artist names alone this is pretty much self-explanatory. Daft Punk is the reigning royalty of electronica, and anything the Strokes front man does is just New York-swagger cool. Heck even Casablancas’ grocery list is probably also cool. Put them together and you know you are bound to get something magical on the side of the synth. It’s electronica ear-candy at first listen. The music video seals the deal. Continue Reading
My favorite Christmas foursome is back with their yearly tradition of song and charity. Early this December, The Killers released their 8th Christmas song, following 7 previous Christmas singles similarly tied up with RED, an organization of the band’s good friends (high five all around) Bono and Bobby Shrivers. This year’s single is a lonely ditty titled Christmas in LA featuring Dawes. 100% of the song’s proceeds will again go to RED’s Global Fund to Fight AIDS.
To see Owen Wilson ponder about the meaning of life during his Christmas in LA, with Harry Dean Stanton‘s voice as company and Brandon Flowers on background music, click link below.
If you want something more fun, check out my very favorite Killers’ Christmas song of all time, Don’t Shoot Me Santa. The 2007 release features Ryan Pardey as the vindictive Santa out to get a naughty Brandon in the middle of the Mojave dessert. And puppets. There were sock puppets.
Nothing says Christmas more than tree trimmings and a bullet in the gun. (Don’t quote me.)
Merry Christmas ya’all!
Brandon and Santa Ryan in peace and harmony. For now.
Who is the Real Flower? Diana Agron plays Brandon in the Killers’ latest single, ‘Just Another Girl.’
Hardly just another Vegas-style love song. Spare me, critics. But Mr Flowers does know how to write and sing a heartbreak song. He starts with the imagery and delivers the hook, hitting right where it hurts singing, “I’m trying to tell myself that I’m better off alone.”
And the memories surf a free wave from there:
All my friends say I should move on
She’s just another girl
Don’t let her stick it to your heart so hard
And all my friends say it wasn’t meant to be
And it’s a great big world
She’s just another girl
I could be reeling them in left and right
Something’s got a hold on me, tonight
Well maybe all of my friends should confront
The fact that I don’t want another girl
Video credits: The Killers Vevo. Lyrics from azlyrics.com.
I don’t think Brandon Flowers has gotten more honestly sentimental than this. The track starts will the type of easy beat you twirl your prom date to, then Brandon lays down the scenery of a lonesome thoughtful drive through the desert. Elvis joins the song as the doubts are told, and the song builds — as Killers songs only do —
If I go on with you by my side
can it be the way it was
when we met?
Did you forget about those lonely nights?
The drum slows down and you twirl again in a slow dance in the endless Mojave desert.
“Thank you for not giving up on us,” charmingly begins the Killers‘ front man Brandon Flowers when he finally stopped dancing for an intro and a hello. I had the graciousness to feel guilty because I kind of did give up on them, nursing a hurt spot for when they cancelled the Manila leg – among others – of their Day and Age tour last January 2010. There is no pain like an excited fan returning a worthless ticket. After waiting in vain for “further details on tour scheduling”, I had to let go of the dream since the next few months saw the band taking a hiatus, Brandon launching his first solo album, followed by the band’s latest outing, Battle Born, records that I both ignored (out of revenge? ignorance? K-pop persuasion?). But then a new album means a new world tour, and hallelujiah, also meant that the Killers were (as Brandon said,) “sa wakas, finally” in Manila. A butt hurt fan cannot stay butt hurt for long.
No hosts, no gimmicks, and a bad ass opening actContinue Reading