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The Killers - Wonderful Wonderful - September 22

S

Solo

Member
This album already sounds a lot more out there (in a good way) than Battle Born.

Also, I was looking at the Wonderful, Wonderful page on Wikipedia, and it appears to have the liner notes on it, and it lists on track 9 spoken lyrics by
......Woody Harrelson
. That's so random and awesome.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Alphahawk said:
New track-Wonderful Wonderful

It probably says something about the time, that this is even a single, because it seems like a deep cut.
Click to expand...
I don't think it's a "single" and more like just a slow leak of tracks because album releases aren't really what they were years ago. I would not be surprised at all if you get half or more of the tracks before the album actually releases.

I think it's just supposed to be an atmospheric opening track. It's fine for what it is, but it's not something I could see even really growing on me beyond just being there and not inherently unpleasant.
 
J

Just_one

Member
Really disappointed about the new songs , hopefully the album will be better.

Run for cover is good , although it doesnt hold a candle to any of the songs on Battle Born , it misses the epic feeling the songs on battle born have in my opinion.

The man is just horrible...

havent heard Wonderful Wonderful yet

after 4 great albums so far this one seems really bad.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Pedro Mendes said:
Really disappointed about the new songs , hopefully the album will be better.

Run for cover is good , although it doesnt hold a candle to any of the songs on Battle Born , it misses the epic feeling the songs on battle born have in my opinion.

The man is just horrible...

havent heard Wonderful Wonderful yet

after 4 great albums so far this one seems really bad.
Click to expand...

You've heard 2 songs and think one of them is good and you're convinced the album is "really bad?" Like, what?

Anyways, "Wonderful Wonderful" as a track grew on me after a few spins even though it's pretty weird at first.

Also, if you're attending the tour, kind of old news but Dave Keuning quit the tour much like Mark Stoermer did a couple years ago so neither of them will be there.
 
S

Solo

Member
That's pretty crappy that neither can be bothered to even tour. A bit of a slap in your fans' faces. Stoermer gets a pass at least because he's gone back to school. Keunig I believe is just lazy. Hell, they are selling a t-shirt as part of the pre-order for WW, and it features a picture of the band......minus Keunig lol.

I guess all of this is to say that I guess they realize that Flowers is basically the band and can carry a tour with Vanucci and a couple of touring players.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Solo said:
That's pretty crappy that neither can be bothered to even tour. A bit of a slap in your fans' faces. Stoermer gets a pass at least because he's gone back to school. Keunig I believe is just lazy. Hell, they are selling a t-shirt as part of the pre-order for WW, and it features a picture of the band......minus Keunig lol.

I guess all of this is to say that I guess they realize that Flowers is basically the band and can carry a tour with Vanucci and a couple of touring players.
Click to expand...

I mean Flowers IS the band to 99% of people, but yeah, its lame.

Then again, Flowers has writing credits on every song on the album and Vanucci has writing credits on 9/10. Keuning has writing credits on 2. One of which is "the Man" which has like 7 writers.
 
B

bratpack

Member
after day and age they just seemed to loss the something special that appealed to me but battlebirn and the songs from this so far are not feeling me in

where as sams town,day and age grabed me instantly
 
S

Solo

Member
Angry Grimace said:
I mean Flowers IS the band to 99% of people, but yeah, its lame.

Then again, Flowers has writing credits on every song on the album and Vanucci has writing credits on 9/10. Keuning has writing credits on 2. One of which is "the Man" which has like 7 writers.
Click to expand...

I'm actually looking at all the albums now on Wikipedia:
- Hot Fuss - 11 songs - Flowers has credit on all 11 of them, Stoermer has credit on 5, Keuning has credit on 4, Vanacci has credit on 3.
- Sam's Town - 12 songs - Flowers has credit on all 12 of them, Stoermer has credit on 6, Keuning has credit on 3, Vanucci has credit on 2.
- Day and Age - this one isn't broken down for whatever reason and gives The Killers credit on everything
- Battle Born - 12 songs - Flowers has credit on all 12 of them, Stoermer has credit on 4, Keuning has credit on 4, Vanucci has credit on 5.
- Wonderful, Wonderful - 10 songs - Flowers has credit on all 10 of them, Stoermer has credit on 9, Keuning has credit on 2, Vanucci has credit on 9.

Total (minus Day and Age):
- Flowers - 45 credits (every song)
- Stoermer - 24 credits
- Keuning - 13 credits
- Vanucci - 19 credits

Damn, I never realized that Flowers basically wrote every Killers song. No wonder his solo stuff is so good. Clearly to an extent he is The Killers.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
New track: "Some Kind of Love"

For what it's worth, I don't like this song in the least, and I'm not hearing anything interesting about it that might hook me later the way "Wonderful Wonderful" did where at first it's just weird and then you realize it's doing something cool. If I had to describe it, I'd honestly have to say "elevator music."
 
R

RaginRoss

Member
Not been too into anything from The Killers after Hot Fuss, but I absolutely love The Man.

Also Brandon Flowers looks cool as fuck in the video.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I have a so many copies of this album because you get copies when you buy tickets to the tour. For each ticket. It's a good album, maybe not great and definetly has Brandon Flowers' fingerprints all over the songwriting which does kind of bring into question why Dave followed Mark out the touring game.

"Tyson v. Douglas" is kind of awesome even though it's got the most Brandon Flowers title ever; I'm laughing that the Mike Tyson song is so good. "Rut" sounds way different than I guess I expected; I think it's a pretty skippable track, though. "Out of My Mind" just gets all of the parts of it stuck in your head even if you initially don't like it (although I liked it the whole time). "Some Kind of Love" is the only song on it I would say I actively hate although there's certainly a few I don't care for/barely can remember. At least it's just because those songs are just bad or boring and not because Flowers couldn't be talked out of a peculiar and conspicuous lyric about his cellphone or being dancer.

Follow up: After a couple listens it's a solid "B" for me. It just hits higher highs than anything on Battle Born did. It's not even worth comparing to "Sam's Town" or "Hot Fuss" but there's no such thing as a band that makes the same album over and over 10 years later. Except Slayer.
 
J

Just_one

Member
Listening to the album right now

Coming from a huge fan of battleborn its very VERY different.

On Run FOr Cover right now

Wonderfull Wonderfull - seems like an intro song and it would fit will into the first song of the new tour , like a melow opening song.

The man - HATED when i first heard but man it has grown on me , love it now.

Rut - didnt like this one to be honest.

Life to come - brings back some of the epic feeling Battle Born had , great song!

Run For Cover - Intro is the same as Meds By Placebo and the whay chorus kicks in is kinda weird but great song overall.

will update later on...
 
K

killertofu

Member
This release snuck up on me. The Killers were basically my first *favorite* band coming into high school (with Franz Ferdinand). Man I'm getting old
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Killers are playing Colbert tonight. I assume they're still running "the Man" out there, which I feel like I've heard a billion times by now because it gets in regular rotation in the background of everywhere I shop.
 
D

Dr. Zombutler

Member
So disappointed in this album. It sucks. I've spent so long being the #1 Killers apologist and even I cannot fully defend this one. Really baffles me that Flowers & Co. claimed Battle Born was weak and this one was more focused/accomplished.

The title track is the best song. It's huge, cinematic, heavy and moving. A real dark behemoth of a track. Like the negative world version of "Why Do I Keep Counting?" It's so good.

The Man is another great, great song--a glorious reflection on BF's part of his past hubris and present maturation. It ends there.

Rut goes nowhere and sounds terrible. Life to Come also goes nowhere and sounds terrible. "Dropkick the shame!" is an all time terrible line, and the 3000 terrible lines on the past four albums I've all pretty much totally adored/have resonated with me because of how much I love Brandon's voice and his way of looking at the world...I can't dropkick the shame of this line though.

Run for Cover is an okay song, albeit a pretty flimsy one. I'll never not be ready for Spaceman to start when I hear the beginning of it though--it's the exact same chords.

Don't get how even the negative reviews singled out Tyson V Douglas as a standout. It's so bad. Just such a weak melody and such a boring story.

Some Kind of Love is sweet and it's nice that he made it for his wife. I assume it's his kids singing at the end? This song really brings to the forefront how sonically lame this album is, though. The bassline sounds like a succession of farts. I feel like this album is actually what people have (inaccurately) claimed The Killers have always sounded like.

Out of My Mind is so forgettable and bland. The line "back to back Springsteen/You rolled your eyes" is such a sweet line and a nice way for BF to finally acknowledge his hero in a song--but the song is so boring, it's totally wasted.

The Calling is almost good. Woody Harrelson's intro is utterly pointless and should have just been delivered by Brandon. And why is Harrelson's voice so damn low in the mix? Almost feels like a mistake. As for the song itself, well...it's got kind of a good chorus, but again, it just...goes nowhere.

Have All The Songs Been Written? is a good song. Not a great one, but a good one. It's the first time since the opening track that you feel any real emotion from Brandon...again, though, it's just so clearly a wasted opportunity. Just when it seems like the song is building to something fully realized...a quick fade, and the album is over.
 
PepperedHam

PepperedHam

Member
Infernostew said:
Nah. I saw Brandon Flowers play there a couple years back and it was miserable. One of the worst venues in NYC.
Click to expand...
I've seen Gaslight Anthem play there twice and both times had a good time because I enjoyed the music. Venue was a little cramped for drinks and exiting but once the band was on and I had my spot nothing else really mattered to me.
 
K

killertofu

Member
I feel like Brandon Flowers wrote 'The Man' for when another Romney runs for election.


I'm only 3 songs in but this album feels all over the place? Dark and brooding...then 80s james brown...then this weird sappy Rut song?
 
B

Buntabox

Member
Album definitely feels like there is a lack of focus. It makes Battleborn appear to boast laser precision. At least it's songs mostly carried a singular theme that drove the album. As tired as it became by the end.

A lot of it just feels like a run at a U2 album. There is a general lack of Killers sounding tracks (exclusively: The Man and Run For Cover). The title track is a startlingly refreshing song from them that is unlike anything before from them AND good. The rest, not so much.

Rut probably should have just been cut all together. Not feeling The Calling yet either.

I'm a big fan of them, so I'll give this a lot of listens and I'm sure some of it will grow on me. Just mildly disappointed after they talked up doing it right after Battleborn. That album's disappoint sank in overtime, not necessarily upfront. So we'll see where I end up. Not the most favorable right now.
 
¡

¡HarlequinPanic!

Member
Thanks for the concern folks, but I've seen plenty of shows at T5 without an issue.

As for the album...I dunno. It's listenable, but it feels pretty restained and spit shined to such a degree that you can't grip much feeling out of even the emotional songs. Tyson v. Douglas is the standout, and The Man and Run For Cover are fun listening.

Everything else can get...kind of dreary? I wish he'd bring some of the fire he had in The Desired Effect cause that album is great...and for that matter so were those two singles they did for the greatest hits.


Maybe I'm just pining too much for the band that did "Read My Mind" and that's unreasonable.
 
K

killroy87

Member
This is a BAD album. I thought Battleborn was toothless, but this is straight up wuss rock that makes BB look metal. The one two punch of Some Kind of Love and Out of My Mind is some of the lamest music they've ever produced. It's no wonder the guitarist isn't touring to support it, he'd just be standing on stage doing nothing for half the show while these lame synth ballads play.

Tyson vs Douglas is the only one I can really stand, at least it has a drive. Run For Cover would be decent, if the transition form verse to chorus wasn't so terrible and jarring.

Man, what a disappointment.
 
B

Buntabox

Member
¡HarlequinPanic!;249659604 said:
I wish he'd bring some of the fire he had in The Desired Effect cause that album is great...
Click to expand...

I was hoping the same thing. I thought The Man/Run For Cover was signaling that as the case, but apparently not.

¡HarlequinPanic!;249659604 said:
Maybe I'm just pining too much for the band that did "Read My Mind" and that's unreasonable.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't think that band exists anymore. I honestly wish they had just done a little EP and then toured together. Much like The Strokes did for Future Present Past. A few really solid songs. At this point, I just want more solo Brandon Flowers now.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
There's some great cuts on there but there's definetly some tracks that are on permanent skip. Rut, Life to Come, Some Kind of Love, and Have All the Songs Been Written just don't go anywhere and don't have any energy to them.

But I really like the other stuff on there and I rarely listen to songs in an album format these days so I guess it doesn't bother me as much as it used to. That's still a good 5 or 6 tracks that go from solid to great.
 
K

KraftyKrankins

Member
Y'all keep saying Wonderful Wonderful is the best track on the album and I can barely get through it right now. How fucking bad is the rest of the album then lol
 
F

FaintDeftone

Junior Member
Yeah, not feeling this at all. Even Battle Born was better than this. Oh Killers, why do you do this to me? Your first three albums were great.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
KraftyKrankins said:
Y'all keep saying Wonderful Wonderful is the best track on the album and I can barely get through it right now. How fucking bad is the rest of the album then lol
Click to expand...
If that's your take I'd just listen to "Run For Cover" and "Tyson v Douglas" and nothing else because it's one of the better tracks on the album.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
¡HarlequinPanic!;249669111 said:
So...anyone want my ticket for tonight?
Click to expand...
Did they announce they cut "Mr. Brightside" from the setlist or something
 
K

KraftyKrankins

Member
Christ, this album is so far up it's own ass while saying nothing.

Angry Grimace said:
If that's your take I'd just listen to "Run For Cover" and "Tyson v Douglas" and nothing else because it's one of the better tracks on the album.
Click to expand...

They're fine but I can see what others mean now by saying Wonderful x2 is the best one. Everything else is so damn forgettable it makes a shitty song sound decent. I don't remember a single song from the album and I just finished listening to it not even 5 minutes ago. For comparison I still remember at least 3-4 songs from Battleborn years after listening to it.
 
C

CreeperBlocks

Banned
There’s only two good songs on this Album and it’s The Man and Run for Cover. I still think Battle Born is one of the worst albums they ever made. Fuck Battleborn.

Wonderful Wonderful is an okay album, it’s not a steaming pile of shit like Battle Born was.

As Anthony Fantano would say: I give this album a light 5
 
S

SCHUEY F1

Unconfirmed Member
Finished my first listen. Definitely prefer the front half of the album to the back half. Need to listen to it a few more times to see if some the songs I didn't care for grow on me.

Also, gotta shake my head at the Battleborn hate.
 
PepperedHam

PepperedHam

Member
Album is totally front loaded. The last four tracks or so are pretty boring. But I absolutely love Rut, The Man, Run For Cover, and Tyson vs Douglas.
 
D

daveo42

Banned
I haven't finished listening to the album, but it seems to lack heart or drive to it. Like they made the album more to just make another album and not because they wanted to. I guess it's not bad, just mostly meh.
 
N

Ninhead

Member
CreeperBlocks said:
There’s only two good songs on this Album and it’s The Man and Run for Cover. I still think Battle Born is one of the worst albums they ever made. Fuck Battleborn.

Wonderful Wonderful is an okay album, it’s not a steaming pile of shit like Battle Born was.

As Anthony Fantano would say: I give this album a light 5
Click to expand...

You said it better than I ever could. Agree 100%.
 
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