The Killers
Hot Fuss

THE REVIEW

Originality, talent, catchy melodies, passion, and a touch of lavish arrangements that never hurt: these are the pillars underpinning the grandeur of "Hot Fuss" by The Killers, a Las Vegas band that in 2004 gave birth to the most magnificent debut album of the last 10 years, a veritable emotional storm that perfectly blends rock, electronic music, melody, and some psychedelic atmospheres, showcasing all the creativity and talent of these musicians, with Brandon Flowers standing out, of course, as the singer, keyboardist, and lyricist, a performer endowed with a beautiful velvet voice that stamps a trademark on this band, making these twelve songs—forcefully entering the mind, heart, and gut—unmistakable; not even Muse's debut was thrilling to this extent.

Just for the pleasure, they place masterpieces at the top of the tracklist in an incredible emotional escalation: "Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine", which starts with the sound of helicopter blades: this is no accident because the song is characterized by a whirlwind and swirling pace, with Mark Stoermer's bass prominently featured and Brandon Flowers perfectly interpreting this jewel that precedes the duo "Mr. Brightside"-"Smile Like You Mean It", two perfect examples of The Killers' style: catchy yet never banal choruses, captivating melodies, nearly perfect use of guitars, synthesizers, and vocal effects, and performances worthy of praise.

"Somebody Told Me" is instead the most successful single; the first time I heard it, I was almost as ecstatic as when listening to "Bohemian Rhapsody" and, although I've slightly re-assessed it over time, it remains an outstanding piece that showcases a rock grit quite unusual for The Killers, a beautiful song that, however, almost disappears in the face of the absolute masterpiece that follows it in the tracklist, the sublime "All These Things That I've Done", a ride that begins almost quietly to reach goosebump-inducing emotional peaks thanks to an extraordinary Dave Keuning and the spot-on gospel choir interlude, not to mention the usual excellent Brandon Flowers.

The album continues excellently with the whimsical and psychedelic atmospheres of "Andy, You're A Star", which positively strikes with its decidedly original and catchy obsessive pace, and "On Top", which instead flows into a more powerful and rocking chorus. Another delightful touch of melody comes with the light and passionate "Change Your Mind", followed by a couple of somewhat transitional episodes like "Believe Me Natalie" and "Midnight Show" (which, over time, manage to become appreciated), leading to an open-applause finale: "Everything Will Be Alright", the psychedelic peak of the album, with its calming rhythm, almost lulling keyboards, and Brandon Flowers' voice sounding distant and echoing as if straight out of a dream. This magnificent song would have certainly deserved to close the album, but unfortunately, and this is the only flaw of the record, "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll" was included as a bonus track at the end: it's one of The Killers' most unique songs: a true statement of intent passionately interpreted by Brandon Flowers and very well-conceived and arranged, but placed there at the end, it breaks the spell of "Everything Will Be Alright".

Oh well, nobody's perfect, and anyway this minor flaw certainly doesn't change my opinion of this wonderful album and The Killers, who are, in fact, the only recently founded rock band (along with Muse) that fascinates me and fully enjoys my esteem and admiration.

Chapeau.