uneori adun vise in solnite sparte,
dar ca sa vezi, ele nu stau,
se duc departe,
si eu raman inchisa intr-o casa goala.
daca tu pleci,
pe mine cine ma mai scoala?
caci somnul meu e dus adanc, departe,
caci pleoapele mi le-am lipit azi noapte,
caci cantecul ce imi canta de dimineata
e azi alarma care ma trezeste de la viata.
ah, am zis eu „viata”?
voiam sa zic de moarte,
dar azi nici asta nu ne mai desparte…
Pic.
I’ve been a The Killers fan since 2005, and they are one of the most important bands I stumbled upon during those dark days post-highschool dramedy that was my life, so the solo efforts of Brandon Flowers were a must listen, at least for me.
Flamingo was a mediocre album, so it took me a while to get on board with The Desired Effect. But boy, it did have it!
Dreams Come True is a great opener, filled with promises and great poetry written by Mr. Flowers, the god himself, and it benefits from its weird choice of 80s sound combined with some gospel-y vocals. I could see myself driving on a highway, not a care in the world, knowing that everything will be ok. (9.5/10)
Can’t Deny My Love was chosen as a lead single, and it has that anthem-y feel that Flowers seems to love. Still 80s, still filled with synths, a great tune overall, but it fades quickly when compared to the other songs from the album. (8/10)
If you ever wanted to hear a new kind of Bronski Beat, I Can Change is just perfect. Brandon Flowers’ pleas are amazingly tuned into that awkward request employed by the song. Oh, and Neil Tennant! (8/10)
Still Want You is a promise, just like the whole album. Perfectly in tune with my inner self, filled with doubt, but also with certitude, you can „smell” the maturity in Flowers. (9/10)
I wish I could say more about Between Me and You, a song that, with all its Killers-y sound, feels so Flowers-y at the same time, but all I can really say is it delivers yet another promise from this great man from Nevada. (8.5/10)
Synths and trumpets, the backbone of the 80s, mixed with a disco feel, Lonely Town is the perfect anthem for the teenager in you. (9/10)
Diggin’ Up the Heart will most likely please the old The Killers fans, as it’s definitely one of the songs that bears its signature. Angst-y and valiant, I can’t say I don’t dig it, even though it lacks a personal note. (8/10)
Never Get You Right starts off as a Las Vegas story gone wrong, but then it fades into this beautifully crafted 80s gem that is layered with love and despair at the same time. (9/10)
This time touching the glam rock of the 80s, Untangled Love seems to float in a sea of indecision. With pleading vocals, and guitars to lead the way, I’m guessing that this is the most impersonal song off the album. You can’t pinpoint it on Flowers, or The Killers, or anything else, but what it seems to lack in personality is brought forward by the determination in completing it, so that must be something, I guess… (6/10)
The Way It’s Always Been explores the familiar route taken by so many The Killers songs before, but it does so in a melodic way that almost sounds like a prayer. I’d say that it’s a good way to end the almost perfect album of the Killers frontman, but I think that it kinda lacks hope. (8.5/10)
The Desired Effect is a great album, one of the greatest that feature Flowers on the vocals. It lacks the experimentation perceived on Flamingo, but it also helps him get an appropriate, personal voice. The songs blend in perfectly with Flowers’ voice, his lyrics and themes, and the extensive use of 80s sound is mesmerizing. This one’s a keeper!
Pic.
The most killer Killers song this year.
I listen to it, and I want to be covered in night, in the beautiful dark air of freedom… I want a special summer that lasts for a second, I want lights that shine bright above me, I want to be a shadow that dances til the morning…
This song makes me remember simpler times, when I was younger, and free, and with cares that belonged to only me. It makes me feel like a steady rock of glowing energy, if that’s even possible.
It makes me remember summer and islands and purple suns. It makes me remember mirrors that don’t lie and people that don’t hurt.
I think someday I had a shot at the night, but then I grew up and it all went black.
Cui ii era dor de The Killers pre-Day & Age? Mie! Pentru toata suflarea indie-wannabe-80s-wannabe-brit-something-wannabe (da, stiu, nu ma pricep la genuri si clasificari, sue me), Battle Born (for some unknown reason, imi vine sa scriu numai Born Again, o sa vedeti de ce) este ceea ce ar fi trebuit sa fie Day & Age.
Pentru cineva care e fan The Killers, Battle Born e ALBUMUL. Poti asculta piesele, fara sa fii sigur carei etape din viata lor le atribui. Poti fi sigur ca s-au maturizat, atat pe plan profesional, cat si pe plan personal. Poti incerca sa regasesti salbaticiunea Las Vegas-ului, asa cum numai Brandon Flowers o poate descrie. Poti invata sa iubesti curvele si betiile si greselile, cum numai Brandon Flowers o face, cu tot sufletul sau mormon si socially awkward. Bine, poate nu e socially awkward, dar mie asa imi pare.
Battle Born e albumul lor de rezistenta, dupa un tumult inregistrat pe mai multe planuri. Creativitatea a fost lasata libera, fara nicio jena fata de povestile siropoase de dragoste si episoadele de rock anthems. Cand spun ca Battle Born e un album bun, nu o spun din prisma unui fan avid de muzica noua (desi e si asta un factor). O persoana care a avut de la inceput cam 80% din fiecare album The Killers constant in playlist e mai mult decat un fan. Cineva care nu poate trai fara sa asculte si povestile din Nevada incepe sa vada si sa simta cu ochii lui Flowers si uneori nu ma pot abtine sa nu cad prada visatului cu eyes wide open, just because.
Venit dupa o pauza de vreo 2 ani, Battle Born e regasirea The Killers-ilor, zvacul lor original si emotiile adolescentine (da, pare o chestiune usoara, dar nu trebuie tratata ca atare), combinat cu o suferinta si o seriozitate aparute in urma cresterii ca persoana. In octombrie 2011, conform Wikipedia, trupa s-a reunit. Dupa momentele initiale, in care totul a fost ciudat, a aparut Runaways. Runaways si Miss Atomic Bomb sunt „the backbone of this album”, dupa cum declara insusi domnul Flowers, si bine zice. Ascultand Runaways pentru prima data, am simtit cum stilul The Killers binecunoscut ma inunda si ma copleseste, asa ca pot sa ii sustin afirmatia.
Albumul debuteaza cu Flesh and Bone, o piesa cu o tenta usor electronica, care la primele note te face sa te intrebi ce cauta pe un album rock. Versurile, usor introspective at first, te deruta si apoi Brandon Flowers face ce stie el mai bine. Un rock anthem exploziv si energic, care deschide calea unui album extraordinar.
Runaways, singlelul ales pentru promovare, e o poveste tragica (as zice eu) de dragoste, in spiritul direct si confuz, in acelasi timp, al lui Brandon. O poveste ciudata de iubire, in care lucrurile merg prost dintr-o graba stupida, dar imi place totusi nota usor pozitiva, speranta ca pana la sfarsitul totul se va indrepta. Instrumentele fac totul in piesa asta si imi place energia ei ciudata.
A treia piesa, The Way It Was, e un ceva ce nu pot descrie. Nu-mi place extraordinar de mult, dar nu-mi displace incat s-o sterg din playlist. E usor seaca, usor banala, iarasi versuri despre Elvis si povesti despre County-ul din care sunt si, dintr-o data, incepe povestea… Refrenul compenseaza pentru starea confuza. Imi place ca e o piesa linistita, o piesa care te face sa vrei sa conduci fara capota pe o sosea, cu soarele ce apune in spatele tau…
Here With Me e prima balada de pe album. Dominata de keyboard si vocea lui Flowers, e o declaratie de dragoste atat de simpla si de directa, incat as putea s-o tin pe repeat si sa ma indragostesc de tine in fiecare zi…
A Matter of Time e efortul combinat al celor 4 membri ai formatiei. Ciudata si energica, impiedicata pe alocuri, cu tente de rock si disco(?) al anilor 80, inca nu m-am hotarat daca imi place sau nu, desi nu o s-o sterg din playlist (imi da uneori senzatia de My List, o alta piesa buna de la The Killers).
A sasea piesa e pur si simplu ciudata. Nu stiu cum s-o descriu si nici nu cred ca am ascultat-o de mai mult de cinci ori. Nu cred ca-mi va placea vreodata, desi cred ca o pastrez pentru ca mi se pare ca are o tenta usor biblica. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Muzical vorbind, Deadlines and Commitments e o piesa simpla, fara hookups sau chestii catchy, fara versuri usoare, imbogatita mult de sintetizatoare (I blame Brandon here too).
Miss Atomic Bomb. The backbone of the album. Se simte atat de mult The Killers in piesa asta, atat muzical, cat si in versuri. Gasesti de toate: the bad girl, sperante, naivitate, deceit, toata buba care suntem noi, oamenii. O sa vrei sa gonesti pe autostrada, sa cresti viteza odata cu tempo-ul piesei, o sa vrei sa dai din picioare, fara sa-ti dai seama. O sa vrei, ca mine, sa o asculti pe un stadion plini de oameni, care-l acopera pe Flowers si care striga si sar mai sus decat el.
Hmm… The Rising Tide. De aproape trei saptamani nu am o explicatie plauzibila pentru piesa asta. Electro. 80s. Tobe. Versuri de la The Killers. Incepe sec si se termina energic. Dar, daca ma intrebi, nu stiu de ce o pastrez in playlist, pentru ca de fiecare data ii dau skip (I use suffle a lot).
Heart of a Girl, a noua piesa de pe album, imi pare un lullaby. Din cate stiu eu, Brandon Flowers e „posesorul” unei fetite, dar daca ma insel, astept corectarile de rigoare. Nu ma atinge prea mult, dar piesa e foarte linistita si reuseste sa transmita mesajul dorit.
From Here On Out e o… „chestie”. Imi place aspectul ei usor jumpy, so 80s (cum ar zice MTV), senzatia de cantec „popular” (de la tara, adica) transformat. Bine, asta e doar ideea mea, dar am senzatia ca Nevada a „suferit” de multe astfel de creatii populare/anonime si li se potriveste tare bine celor de la The Killers.
Be Still e o balada introspectiva, mult prea intensa pentru ce stiu eu ca sunt baladele de la The Killers. E pur si simplu superba, prin compozitia si mesajul ei. Versul meu preferat e: „Life is short to say the least/We’re in the belly of the beast”. PS: pe refren are un usor vibe de George Michael prin anii 80.
Piesa care da titlul albumului. Battle Born. Titlul e ales special pentru ca pe steagul Nevadei sta scris „Battle Born” (Nevada a devenit stat in timpul Razboiului Civil din 1861-1865). Trebuie sa recunosc ca e piesa mea preferata de pe album. Imi place feelingul de concert pe stadion pe care il am cand o ascult. Imi place ca simt cum prind viteza cand ascult „up against the wall”. Imi place energia pe care mi-o insufla. Imi place mesajul sau, de a continua, oricat de greu e drumul. Tobele se impletesc cu chitarile perfect, iar vocea lui Flowers seamana cu a unui copil rasfatat care vrea totul ACUM. E un final atat de bun al albumului, incat il vei mai asculta o data.
Tracklist:
Flesh and Bone (Flowers) – 9
(This could decay)
This could decay
Like the valley below
Defences are down
The stakes are high
(Scouting the crowd for a face of compassion)
The fairytale end
(To face off the journey that fathers no more)
The staggering blow
(You’ll find the truth in the roots of desire)
You lead with your chin
(Thinkin’ with your corners, just a compass and the sun)
This could be real
(Thinkin’ with your corners, just a)
Simple
Runaways (Flowers) – 9
We used to look at the stars and confess our dreams
Hold each other to the morning light
We used to laugh, now we only fight
Baby are you lonesome now?
The Way It Was (Flowers, Keuning, Stoermer, Vannucci and Lanois) – 9
If I go on
With you by my side
Can it be
The way it was
When we met
Did you forget all about those golden nights?
Here with Me (Flowers and Healy) – 9
Don’t want your picture
On my cell phone
I want you here with me
Don’t want your memory
In my head now
I want you here with me
A Matter of Time (Flowers, Keuning, Stoermer, Vannucci) – 8.5
I know you’re weary, look at me
Flailing in the corner
Here’s the towel
Go on, throw it in
It was a matter of time
Can’t you see that it’s tearing me up inside?
Look what’s laying at our feet
That’s the wreckage of broken dreams
And burned out halos
And it’s here on our street
Deadlines and Commitments (Flowers) – 8
If you should fall upon hard times
If you should lose your way
There is a place
Here in this house
That you can stay
Miss Atomic Bomb (Flowers and Vannucci) – 9.5
Miss Atomic Bomb
Making out, we’ve got the radio on
You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone
You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone
Racing shadows under moonlight
Through the desert on a hot night
And for a second there we’d won
Yeah, we were innocent and young
The Rising Tide (Flowers) – 8
The streets of persuasion
Are plated with gold
Your heart’s in the right place,
But you travel down the wrong road
Like so many before you
The gates open wide
Here come the rising tide (rising tide)
Heart of a Girl (Flowers, Keuning, Stoermer, Vannucci and Lanois) – 8
That night I called her and she said
„Daddy daddy daddy, all my life
I’ve been trying to find my place in the world”
And I said to her
„Baby baby babe, I got all night to listen to the heart of a girl”
From Here On Out (Flowers) – 8.5
Hey, from here from out
Friends are gonna be hard to come by
Left us wonderin’ what it all was about
He had it easy, man he chose the hard way
Walk that old, lonely road in the shadow of a doubt
From here on out
Be Still (Flowers and Lanois) – 9
Be still
Close your eyes
Soon enough you’ll be on your own
Steady and straight
And if they drag you through the mud
It doesn’t change what’s in your blood
(Over chains)
When they knock you down
Battle Born (Flowers, Keuning, Stoermer, Vannucci) – 10
Up against the wall (Up against the wall)
There’s something dying on the street
When they knock you down (Up against the wall)
You’re gonna get back on your feet
Cause you can’t stop now (Cause you can’t stop now)
Did they break your heart? (Did they break your heart?)
And did they cause your soul to mourn
Remember what I said
Boy you was battle born
Cause you can’t stop now (Cause you can’t stop now)
Come on show your face
Come on give us one more spark
So we’ll start a fire
Unless we fall into the dark
And you can’t stop now (No, you can’t stop now)
Albumul, in varianta Deluxe Edition, mai are inca 3 piese. Carry Me Home (Flowers), o electronica-disco-rock anthem care nu inteleg cum de n-a ajuns pe albumul standard. Un remix de la Jacques Lu Cont al piesei Flesh and Bone, destul de bun (spune o persoana careia nu ii plac remixurile). Observ ca nu e prima data cand Jacques Lu Cont remixeaza o piesa de la The Killers si imi place, deci probabil ca face ceva bine. Prize Fighter e o alta declaratie de dragoste, cum numai Flowers stie sa faca. Comparatii peste comparatii si energie si cuvinte simple adresate oamenilor simpli, care exprima doar iubire.
Per total, albumul nu e bun. E foarte bun. Desi la prima vedere, piesele nu se „leaga”, tema e aceeasi. Renasterea. Trupa a renascut. A redevenit ceea ce e a fost, din punct de vedere al stilului. Fanii vechi recunosc asta de la primele acorduri. Fanii noi ar putea fi usor derutati dupa Day & Age. Ne-fanii nu prea ar gusta asa ceva, poate doar ascultatorii de 80s electronica. Tematic vorbind, e despre depasirea obstacolelor. Despre renasterea din cenusa. Tehnic, about being battle born.
Sursa poza.
Am tot incercat sa scriu un review pentru albumul lunii iunie, care ar fi trebuit sa fie Maroon 5 – Overexposed. Somehow, n-am reusit sa ma adun sa scriu cuvinte despre el. L-am ascultat, mi-a placut, dar nu am putut vorbi despre el.
The Killers au lansat o piesa noua, alta decat traditionalul cantecel de Craciun, o piesa care va fi pe urmatorul album.
Piesa „Runaways„, ce va fi inclusa si pe „Battle Born” (fraza apare pe steagul statului Nevada) nu e noua, nu e inedita, nu e wow. E doar Brandon Flowers, plain and simple. O fi fost vreo piesa ce n-a mai avut loc pe „Flamingo” (albumul sau solo lansat in 2010), pentru ca mi se pare acelasi sunet usor ratacit si confuz, de copil care nu stie incotro s-o apuce.
Povestea e clasica. Am vazut-o si in „When You Were Young”, si in „A Dustland Fairytale”, poate chiar si in „This Is Your Life” sau in „Jilted Lovers & Broken Hearts”.
Chitara imi aduce aminte de „Crossfire”. Bass-ul de piesele vechi de la The Killers. Imi place ca-mi da senzatia de hotarare, „all is settled”, „I know what I want now”.
Pe scurt, nu e nimic out of the ordinary de la Mr. Flowers & The Killers. Pe de alta parte, nici nu-mi doream. Mi-e dor de povesti despre Las Vegas, sins & sinners, oameni pentru care dumnezeu e aproape dupa o gura de alcool, mi-e dor de povestile lor care miros a iarba si tigara si a trailer park or smth.
Nimic nou, dar totusi perfect personal. Imi aduc aminte de 2009. 1 iulie 2009. Ploaie si The Killers.
PS: haven’t seen the video. Yet.
1976 – a Killer is born. Dave Keuning.
1986 – Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, but to you: Lady Gaga.
Ca gainile, se adunasera cu totii sub streasina casei.
Cu stupiditate, priveau cu totii spre locul unde se intamplase grozavia. Sangele de peste tot, de pe haine si pe fata de masa, de pe peretii casei, le dadea un aer ciudat.
Narile le framatau, si mirosul dulce de vin staruia in mine. Mi se parea ca totul miroase a vin si a struguri, a friptura si mamaliga proaspata. Aburi ieseau din mine, si din friptura de pe jos. Dracu’ stie cum a ajuns pe jos, ma tot impiedic de ea.
Rochia mea lunga, alba, e plina de praf, iar picioarele mele sunt murdare.
Sa-mi fie invatatura de minte! Mama mi-a zis sa-mi iau pantofi, sau baremi ciorapi, dar nuuu… Eu am vrut sa mi se vada oja rosie de la picioare.
Unchiul Paul se uita la picioarele mele si-mi dau seama ca rochia mea e un pic cam ridicata. Ii dau drumul repede si ma fac ca o scutur de praf, apoi imi asez florile din par. Marinica se uita gales la mine, probabil din cauza ca e un pic incrucisat, si eu ii zambesc cat pot de dulce. Unchiul Paul isi indeasa limba pe gatul neveste-sii, cred ca o si pipaia acolo, dupa pom, unde erau.
Masa era plina de sange si apa, friptura mea zacea pe jos, iar din tort n-a mai ramas decat o fleoscaiala alba. Rochia mea, din alba, apoi prafuita, a ajuns plina de noroi si sange, iar rasuflarea mea miroase a vin. Pe mana am o dara rosie, si toti in jurul meu sufla greu. Maica-mea pare pierduta, tata e furios, tot invarte un cutit in mana, si ma sperie, iar Marinica e linistit ca un bou. Unchiul Paul da semne de neliniste, iar tuta de nevasta-sa e nervoasa. I-a dat o palma, si a venit spre mama lui Marinica. Biata femeie nu stie cum s-o calmeze mai repede si cum sa-i stearga sangele de pe fata.
Il vad pe tatal lui Marinica in camera lui, cum incearca sa telefoneze cuiva. Pare grabit, se tot uita pe geam. M-am dat la o parte, sper ca nu m-a vazut.
Marinica sta si se uita undeva, ca un bou, pierdut. Are aceeasi privire ca atunci cand se uita la mine. Ma intreb la ce se uita oare… Ma apropii.
… Se uita la mine.
Marinica, plin de sange, ca toata lumea, de altfel, se uita la mine. Isi frange mainile, si plange incet. E stupid, bietul de el, ca un idiot mare si gras. Plange, saracul, si-si frange mainile. I-e si mila sa puna mana pe parul meu murdar de sange, pe florile din parul meu. Incearca sa ma curete de sange, dar i-e frica sa nu ma murdareasca de noroi.
E singur cu mine. Mama sta, saraca, sub o streasina, o tin cucoanele sa nu cada. Nu stiu de ce sa uita asa, prin mine, eu ma uit la ea si nu stiu ce sa-i spun.
Marinica plange ca inecatul, si tata invarte cutitul ala. Nevasta lu’ unchiu’ Paul e nevrozata, se uita urat spre mine (adica nu spre mine, prin mine, spre cealalta eu), si tot scuipa intr-acolo. Tata se uita la ea, de parca ar da cu ea de pamant, mama tace, Marinica plange.
Unchiul Paul rade de dupa copaci.
Dupa copaci, mi-a ridicat fusta.
Dupa copaci, i-am zis ca o sa avem un copil.
Dupa copaci, m-a batut prima oara.
Dupa copaci, ne-a prins nevasta-sa prima oara. A doua oara, ne-a prins Marinica.
In fata copacului, in fata lumii, mi-a taiat nevasta-sa gatul.