Hot Fuss

Kills me to say this but I really did not enjoy the album.

This album had me in a chokehold in my mid teens, now it has me in a chokehold in my mid twenties. Life is good

Frontloaded and the second half is pretty forgettable.

Not as good as Hot Fuzz, but then again, what is?

This album was pretty ubiquitous in the mid-Naughties, which I think has then led to a case of familiarity breeding contempt. I have a few of these songs on various playlists and at times they come on and it’s just ‘nah, heard that too many times’.

Having said that, hearing them in isolation does give a slightly different appreciation. You can see how the first 4 songs were all huge hits - singable choruses, catchy (if at times inane) lyrics, slick production. The quality drops off fairly rapidly after that - All These Things That I've Done has the crazily catchy 'I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier' chant at the end (which I swore he ripped off from somewhere, but apparently not). 'Andy, You're A Star' is notable for being the most musically different with just a guitar and Flowers singing, but unfortunately again the lyrics are kinda rubbish and his delivery ruins it. 'On Top' is back to the pop-rock, but without the major hooks, and 'Change My Mind' is similar again. After another couple of filler tracks (prize for the worst lyric from 'Believe Me Natalie' - 'There is an old cliche under your Monet, baby' - like, what?!?!?!), we get to 'Glamourous Indie Rock 'n' Roll', which I can only assume is Flowers attempt at being a hardened cynic.

Overall, it's impressive how the first 4 songs have endured over the last 20 years, but as an album, it's not great. 3 stars for the first half, can't say I'd waste my time listening to the rest again.

yicky

Surprisingly fun, much more fun than I'd ever expect. Idk if I should be ashamed of liking The Killers, maybe I should be. So sybau y'all

Overall: 2.5/5. Some catchy songs here but nothing really stuck out to me as particularly impressive or great, especially when comparing it to other indie-rock records from the same period. But it is very listenable, there was no point where I was actively irritated by it.

nice

nice

nice

First half is entirely bangers sorry!

I was expecting nostalgia to maybe cloud my judgment of this album, as younger me was really into it, but on a long overdue relisten, my conclusion was a resounding: "It's okay." There's some very tight songwriting on display, with good hooks and vocal sequences that almost make you want to sing along, if not for the often bizarre subject matter of the lyrics. I really like the post-punk energy of the guitars and bass on songs like Jenny Was a Friend of Mine and Midnight Show, even if they do at times sound like a bit of a pale imitation of their inspirations. Nice use of synths throughout the record as well to create this sort of hazy, sleazy vibe that really complements the subject matter of the songs. All that said, it's not always the most interesting listen. Tracks like Change Your Mind and Everything Will Be Alright are pretty trite affairs that are neither catchy nor interesting, but I suppose they can't all be hits.

Overall, you can see why The Killers got so big on the back of this album. They knew how to write catchy rock hits for the radio, but there's not a whole lot on here that makes me desperate for another listen.

Favourite tracks: Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, Believe Me Natalie, Smile Like You Mean It

Better than Coldplay

People weren't kidding when they said this was a very front loaded album. All the hits are in the first few songs and after Somebody Told Me this really drops off. Still a pretty decent listen. Not spectacular and I don't really care for Mr. Brightside, but it's a fun enough album. Loud blaring stadium rock, probably really fun in a live setting.

𝘏𝘰𝘵 𝘍𝘶𝘴𝘴 delivers the breakout single 𝗠𝗿. 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲, a track that deserves its status thanks to its driving momentum and instantly memorable hook. But beyond that highlight, the album leans heavily on familiar post-punk revival tropes — glossy synths, echoing guitars, and dramatic vocal delivery — without pushing the formula into particularly new territory. The songs are polished and catchy enough, yet they feel more like variations on sounds already established by earlier indie and new wave acts rather than something distinct or groundbreaking. The result is a record that has one undeniable anthem but struggles to stand out as a whole.

Incredible album. Falls somewhat in the second half but brings it back with the last song.

I got toast but I'm not a toaster
I got ham but I'm not a hamster
I got a butt but I'm not butter
I got nits but I'm not a knitter
I got plums but I'm not a plumber

Jenny... is still their best song and hasn't been played to death thankfully.

Don't think I've ever heard the second half of this albums before. Thankfully, no need to

Just about as basic as you can get. Very much lowest common denominator rock.

1.5/5.0: Bad

21 years ago i heard somebody told me and loved it. i bought the album and hated it. all the singles ive heard since then have been fine but not great. re-listening, its much better than i remember it being and has a decent bit of variety. its also very heavily frontloaded with a very mediocre string of songs to end the album