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! Shot in the Night
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…
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…
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…
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…
“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…