Hot Fuss - The Killers

There is a particular branch of American music that I struggle with. It's not limited to geography or a particular era. No, nothing as specific as that. It just the it belongs to the genre of 'no matter how hard I've tried it's just stuff that I don't like'. Or to be more precise American college rock or pop punk to give it its correct nomenclature.

It all started with Green Day. I just don't get them. I've tried - honestly I have. Even going as far as seeing them live. But I still find their brand of punk rock.... well pointless really. To make matters worse there then followed a whole host of similar bands; Blink 182, Scouting For Girls and so on and so bloody forth. They all had the same effect. Boredom.

And then there is The Killers. Ahh The Killers. With all of the buzz that was surrounding this band I thought that maybe, at last, there would be an American college punk rock band that I could like. I didn't even care whether they were a college punk rock band. If I liked it I'd claim they were, tick that box and move on.

So with some expectation I acquired 'Hot Fuss' and popped it into the CD player in the car. Within moments that all-too-familiar sensation came over me. What was all the fuss about? What was I missing? Was I, in someway, deaf to this type of music. 'Smile Like You Mean It' was the only decent song on the album. The rest were just filler. I don't think the CD even made it to the last track. I threw the CD back into the glove box and moved on figuratively and literally....down the A19.

...until today. Here was another golden opportunity to dislike it all over again. Well first up, they definitely don't sound like Green Day. Secondly...it's actually quite a good album. No wait. I'd go as far as to say it's and excellent album. So what changed? Maybe, like taste-buds, more mature ears need stronger stimulus to provoke a reaction? Or maybe I've listened more attentively - the fast lane of the A19 was never a good place to audition new music. Whatever the reason, it's as if I've gained a new album.

'Smile Like You Mean It' is still the best track but there are some new favourites to add to the list; 'Mr Brightside' is a great single, 'Believe Me Natalie' is a soaring indie-rock track and 'Somebody Told Me' is reminiscent of New Order, The Cure, Franz Ferdinand or a whole host of other British indie-bands. And that can't be a bad thing.

So it's indie rock & roll for me and 'Hot Fuss' is the new-old kid on the block!