Synth Pop-Rock

Week 50: the Killers- Rebel Diamonds

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment

A mixture of brief and long track-by-track reviews:

Jenny Was a Friend of Mine:

Powerful bassline depicting the fictional story of a girl called Jenny who was murdered. Morrissey(who Brandon is a fan of)inspired him to write the song, which is part of the murder trilogy featured from the “Hot Fuss” period. Frontman Brandon Flowers also said that Alice Deejay’s 1999 smash ‘Better Off Alone’ inspired the sound.

Mr Brightside:

THE iconic anthem that has stood the test of time for the band. It doesn’t matter where you are; everyone will know the words( to the chorus, at least.) and sing them at the top of their lungs with their arms aloft or their fist punching the air. Brandon said this track came to life after he suspected his then-girlfriend was cheating on him. Brandon woke up and went down to the Crown and Anchor public house in Las Vegas and saw his girlfriend cheating. The backing track had already been done before Brandon added his heart-wrenching vocals, followed by the drum machine featured on the demo. The anthem was initially met with disdain during its initial live performances and gathered momentum after the release of ‘Somebody Told Me’.

All These Things That I’ve Done:

Brandon admitted to imitating the late Lou Reed’s vocal delivery for this track. The song features the Gospel group Sweet Inspirations. The bassline was lifted from the late David Bowie’s ‘Slow Burn’. 

Somebody Told Me:

Their second single, which had an Oasis-esque vibe, is about trying to pull someone in a nightclub. Brandon cleverly added both sexes in the chorus so both could relate to the meaning behind the song. Pulsating drums and spacey synthesisers over raucous guitars will have you headbanging, dancing uncontrollably or stamping your foot.

When You Were Young:

The synthesisers are warmer than what was heard on “Hot Fuss” over lyrics referencing hurricanes, heartache, and Jesus, specifically in the chorus). The synthesiser takes centre stage with its riff featured on the chorus. There is an element of folk in this 80s synth-pop song.

Read My Mind:

Brandon has said this is the best song he has ever written and declared it his favourite for the band. Again, it is an 80s-inspired synth song with amazing vocals in the verses and a riff that still sticks into your head almost two decades later. Brandon said this originally started as ‘Little Angela.’

Human:

I never understood the lyrics ‘Are We Human? Or are we Dancer?’ However, it is an infectious hook, and maybe due to its melody, it makes the outlandish lyrics redundant. Furthermore, many people have questioned what the lyrics mean because, as you can see, they do not make sense. The track featured a synthesiser, snappy guitar riff, and hi-hat riff, with a second synthesiser coming in the second verse: catchy synthesiser, and full drums in the first chorus. The second chorus features high synth strings, which lead into the middle eight and are accompanied by drums, bass, and vocals. The third chorus is a breakdown featuring the sounds heard so far, with a fade out on the final chorus.

Spaceman:

It is a song about meeting an alien, which gradually affects the main character’s sanity over multiple synthesisers with driven guitars coming in on the chorus. The standout has to be the drumming by Ronnie Vanucci. On a side note: When Noel Gallagher met the band, he ignored the other members and approached Ronnie. At the time, the then Oasis leader was looking for Zak Starkey’s successor.

A Dustland Fairytale:

It’s a song that sounds like it could be in a school assembly. There is an updated version featuring Bruce Springsteen, which was recorded in 2020. The acquisition of the Boss makes the re-recording better than the original version.

Be Still:

An unimpressive ballad.

Runaways:

This track is Bruce Springsteen-esque.

the Man:

I am not a fan of it, to be honest. It has that 1980s feel to it (I tend to cringe at most of the music from the 80s when I hear them played.). Don’t get me wrong, I like some 80s disco, but this had far too much to my liking, and I certainly wouldn’t put it in the Nile Rodgers category (I would have liked it, then.).

Caution:

Sounds like four bands rolled into one song. The intro is very Tame Impala, the verses are the War on Drugs and Slowdive, and the chorus is the Killers. Once again, the lyrical content and the story draw you in. There’s even an appearance by Lindsey Buckingham on the lead guitar. The story is about rolling the dice and throwing caution to the wind regardless of the consequences because you don’t want to regret missed opportunities.

My Own Soul’s Warning:

It is a slow-building track that bursts into a traditional Killers wall of sound. You can never forget the sound for that reason alone. The fable is quite religious, and what happens when you start questioning its validity? 

Dying Breed:

Brandon goes for it on this song, especially in the chorus, as his vocals grow in volume. It’s a typical Killers track with all the synthesisers, et cetera. One to get the seating section up on their feet for a dance at the gigs.

Pressure Machine:

This is my third choice recommendation from the album with the same name. However, apart from the story being told, it lacked a hook and a chorus. It felt more like Spoken Word than the bombastic sound we know the band for.

Quiet Town:

A fable about two individuals killed in a 1994 car accident in Utah 1994 when a train hit them at a crossing. This song has some meaning to Brandon because he hails from the same town in Utah where the incident happened. He also saw one of the victims that day morning on the way to school. The song is broken down into verse one: the accident. Chorus one: How it shook the town, and what these Mormons are like. Verse two: 20 years after the accident, discussing the opioid stories. Chorus two: How the people live their lives and how their faith will pull them through. Verse three: Brandon outlines how he feels when he returns to his hometown. Chorus three: The local folk are good people and help those in need—verse four Talks about the train remembering taking those lives. Overall, the song is taken from the point of view of a train worker who witnessed the incident. The worker also says how the train kills someone every two or three years, maybe depicting that individuals intentionally commit suicide by being struck by the train. Why? Well, one of the lyrics is, “You…I, I think the train is a way to find your way out of this life if you get hit by it”.

Boy:

Chopping hi-hats, dazzling guitar riffs, and Brandon’s personal lyrics over their usual synth rock. The topic is Brandon addressing himself and his children about the past and the optimism of the future.

Your Side of Town:

Quintessentially the Killers.

Spirit:

The sole new track on the album, and closer samples Underworld’s iconic ‘Born Slippy’ over the band’s quintessential sound. 

Song recommendations: ‘Mr Brightside’, ‘Somebody Told Me’, ‘Spirit’

8/10

Week 23: Niall Horan- the Show

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment

The most talented individual from One Direction, but Niall Horan is somewhat in the shade regarding former band members who have excelled. Harry Styles has had the most success as a solo artist, with Niall being the second. They always say the nice guys get overlooked, and that’s the case with Niall. He is more reserved than Harry, and even though he has got another No. 1 album under his belt, it passes without much fanfare. When Niall releases music, it flies under the radar of the media. They are more interested in the extroverted Harry Styles. Seeming to follow his every move.

Although he may not sell out stadiums, Niall is doing enough to carve out a solo career. Rather than attempt to be more rock n roll, Niall has elected to be more pop with synthesisers on this record, which, surprisingly, coming from a love of Indie, is more suited to his songwriting style.

The only time you will hear a guitar in full flow on the album is ‘You Could Start a Cult’, a song about looking through a relationship with rose-tinted glasses. It also features a harmonica solo. I don’t know if Niall is a fan of Johnny Marr (He probably is.), but it reminded me somewhat of the guitar legend. In all honesty, I wasn’t a fan of the track. I don’t know. There appears to be a sense of mediocrity to it. Save for the harmonica solo. On ‘Must be Love’, Niall discusses his insecurities about falling in love but confesses that you cannot hold back love if it feels like it, no matter how hard you try to resist

He cannot let that thought go even on the cheerful ‘Heaven’ where he is expressing feelings of being in love but also fears that everything will go pear-shaped over bouncing piano keys with sultry vocals. There is a reverb effect on ‘If You Leave’, and I was disappointed with ‘Save My Life’ because it sounds like something the 1975 would churn out.

I don’t know if I liked the record because it captures your imagination and then doesn’t. Sometimes it’s the lyrics, and sometimes it’s the instrumentation. I call the album safe and tidy. Niall is more comfortable writing these types of songs. I cannot wait to hear him write Indie to see if he can pull it off.

7/10

Song recommendations: ‘Heaven’, ‘It Must be Love’., ‘If You Leave’

Week 35: Muse- Will of the People

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment

Regardless of what I am about to say in this review, I have always found Muse hard to listen to their studio work. However, they are beyond amazing live. I thoroughly enjoy their spectacular headline shows at festivals. I saw one particular performance from the current “Will of the People” tour, complete with lasers, great visuals, hypnotic guitars, Matt’s futuristic jacket and a robotic hand where he somehow manages to know the correct swiggles to draw on the touchpad of the glove to form the melody.

However, despite their failure to create their live shows in the studio, what cannot be ignored is their lyrics and subjects—the subjects ranging from anti-establishment, pro-freedom, and sex. Not many people talk about the drummer Dominic Howard, but he more than compliments Chris Wolstenholme’s bass wizardry and Matt Bellamy’s versatile vocals that also sometimes ape the guitar. The Devonshire trio have been going since 1994 and released their debut “Showbiz” in 1999. However, it wasn’t until 2001 and their second record, “Origin of Symmetry”, that the band started to get noticed, with ‘Plug in Baby’ charting just outside the top 10. Their biggest success chart-wise is ‘Supermassive Black Hole’, where Chris does the whispered chorus. They are yet to get a number one, but that isn’t a surprise when you consider they are more of a live band.

Amazingly, “Will of the People” is their ninth studio album and their most politically charged to date. This could well be told from Matt’s perspective, but it is a worldview. We are sick of the society we currently reside in and grow angrier with the establishment. 

The opening track is the title track, which acts as a call to arms to start a revolution against the establishment. I first heard this as an introduction song on their current tour. They may now perform it rather than the studio version playing before they go onstage. The song features a baying crowd over AC/DC-esque guitars with Matt with venom in his vocals that he will lead the revolution and overthrow the establishment, which is quite apt during the current climate. It certainly got my attention from the off, at least.

The leading single is ‘Compliance’, which I had heard during this particular concert I watched on YouTube, and I have to say, I loved the concept behind it and the thought-provoking lyrics. However, this time, Matt does it from the oppressor’s perspective. It is also a condescending dig at the establishment.

One thing I loved about the album is this revolutionist vs oppressor topic over futuristic melodies, with Matt muting the chords with his palm; synths and elements are taken from the Weeknd. There is even room for them, once again, to pay tribute to Queen with ‘Liberation’. What do I mean? It just sounds like Queen from the instrumentation to Matt’s vocals. This is Another song told from the perspective of the people determined to revolt.

However, there is a turn of events on ‘Ghosts(How Can I Move on)’, which, at first listen, I thought had Chris Martin (Coldplay) on vocals. The song screams all things Coldplay. The disappointments come on ‘Kill or be Killed’ and ‘Won’t Stand Down’. Although the songs have great titles, they sound more like a messy breakup rather than fighting for one’s freedom from the establishment.

Muse, like several others, are pretty adept at recycling their songs. Although they have been written and recorded over the past year, they still sound familiar, as seen in ‘Won’t Stand Down’, which sounds similar to ‘Supermassive Black Hole’. ‘Verona’ reminded me more of U2, particularly Edge’s riffs. Going back to Muse recycling, ‘Euphoria’ sounds like ‘Time is Running out’ vs Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’.

My standout is the closer ‘We are Fucking Fucked’. The lyrics are delicious and aptly mimic the tone of what we all feel. We are fucking fucked, and the lyrics expressed that with mentions of world war, et cetera. It also sounds a bit like ‘Knights of Cydonia’, albeit there is no call-to-arms, but rather a pessimistic view of not being capable of sorting out this shitstorm we are all in. What a way and a statement to end the album.

However, I found the record quite disjointed and a mishmash of Muse’s past work slightly reimagined. The messages are also contradictory because Matt is asking for a revolution, yet then is rather pessimistic, moaning and unwilling to do anything. Again, Muse has made an album that is only for the live arena. As I said, their studio work does not ape the effort put in when they perform live.

Song recommendations: ‘We Are Fucking Fucked’, ‘Will of the People’, ‘Compliance’

6/10

Week 19: Arcade Fire- WE

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment
Win and company took on board the harsh criticism of “Everything Now” and the poor sales to make a more Arcade Fire record. I cannot understand why their previous album, “Everything Now”, was so widely panned by critics because I gave it a glowing review and thoroughly enjoyed hearing the tracks performed on tour. Many say it was a trip into the unknown for Arcade Fire, so it didn’t suit their style. However, in “WE”, the band have returned to what the fans and casual listeners loved them for. They employed the services of the legendary Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, with Geoff Barrow from Portishead, Father John Misty, and another music legend for his production and as a member of Genesis and solo artist Peter Gabriel. Quite a mixture of producers and some contrast between Nigel and Peter.


As you can imagine, the album contains songs that tear off arena roofs and pierce the stadium sky. You have juddering synth pop-rock, which balances elements of the War on Drugs, the Killers, and, dare I say it, Slowdive. Those elements are found in ‘Age of Anxiety I’ and the two-part ‘the Lightning’. I say “two-part”, but for me, it isn’t. Why? Even though some of the songs are split into two parts, they sound more like a continuation of the previous part with a few subtle adjustments in the second part. You then have what can only be described as folk with a pulsating bass for ‘Lookout Kid’. It was ‘End of the Empire I-IV’ where the introduction echoed the late John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’. It may have carried on in the same vein, but after it passes the introduction, you soon realise it is an entirely different song altogether. This is the longest track, clocking in at nine minutes when you combine the two tracks. Given the current landscape within music, the band took a risk by going with a song that sounds like John Lennon might have written it, but then Arcade Fire knew their fans would appreciate it. After all, the band are not known for churning out generic pop.


There are a few flirtations with other sounds like ‘Age of Anxiety II(Rabbit Hole)’, which seems to change from the first part entirely and head into dance territory. Even with their experimentation, they kept the listener interested, which they failed with on “Everything Now” (I need to revisit my review to see if I concur with the consensus.). To my astonishment, the songs were also poorly received during the previous tour, which I cannot quite fathom. I enjoyed the majority of the songs on that tour.

The only element kept from “Everything Now” is the lyrics. The band once again aim at the adverse effects of the internet. Some of the songs are just dire. For example, ‘Age of Anxiety II(Rabbit Hole)’ with ‘Rabbit hole, plastic soul, born into the abyss, new phone, who’s this?’. I mean…wow. It’s not going to be nominated for an Ivor Novello, right? The instrumentation rescues the lyrics, which is a shame because I have heard their iconic songs with deeper meanings, and the lyrics are more polished. This reminds me of what Liam Gallagher tends to write when he isn’t getting assisted by other songwriters.

I enjoyed “WE” for most of the listen, but then I enjoyed listening to Arcade Fire. They looked at the previous record’s reception and took action to ensure they were not forgotten about or relegated to a lesser stage at the festivals. The band has ensured they will remain high up the bill at festivals by going back to basics, save for the lyrics. 


Song recommendations: ‘End of the Empire I-III’/End of the Empire IV(Sagittarius A*), ‘the Lightning I/the Lightning II’,
‘Age of Anxiety I’


7/10