Sawdust Covers Everything
Live recordings, B-sides and covers make <i>Sawdust</i> pretty...okay.
The Killers
Sawdust
Released on Nov 30, -0001
The Killers' latest offering, Sawdust is a compilation of B-sides, live recordings, covers and the occasional new song. Killers' fans will be glad to know that the album features the first (and previously unreleased) song of the "Murder Trilogy," "Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf."
A few of the covers on the album are well done, most notably the cover of Joy Division's "Shadowplay," which is given a catchy synth-beat that makes the song one of the best on the record. With the new tracks and some of the covers, the Killers put their dancing shoes back on, showing more of the style that made "Mr. Brightside" and "Somebody Told Me" such big hits. The resurgence of earlier influences may disappoint some who enjoyed the drastic change in sound of Sam? Town, but the new (or old, depending on how you look at it) sound is simply infectious.
The main problem with Sawdust is the addition of the live recordings. Don't get me wrong, "Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf" is probably the best song on the record, but the live songs seem more like filler than anything else. It's understandable that fans of the band will want to hear the live versions of their favorite songs, but why not replace the live "Mr. Brightside" with another original recording, B-side, or cover?
Overall, Sawdust is a quality offering. It could have benefited from another original track or two and one less song from the Spiderman 3 soundtrack (there is only 1 song on the album from said soundtrack). This one is best for those who are already fans of the band.
High Point
Low Point
Posted by Cory Roop on Nov 22, 2007 @ 12:00 am