Genre: indie rock / alternative rock / folk rock
I chose to review Sam's Town because it's one of my favorite albums in the whole entire world.
It might actually be my favorite.
I love everything about this masterpiece; no matter how long I go without hearing it, I'm always eager to hear it again and again and again.
I was listening to this album when I was 13 years old and now at 21 I love it more than ever. I very clearly remember all the mornings in 2016 that were spent blaring this album and singing my heart out on the way to my shitty job at Convergys. I've played "Uncle Johnny" on repeat more times than I care to share.
Sam's Town isn't new by any means; it was the band's second album and it was released in October of 2006.
If you're unfamiliar with the band, The Killers is a very successful indie / alternative rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. They've got a sort of folksy feel to their songs, too.
They have sold over 22 million records worldwide and have played shows in at least 50 countries.
If you've ever turned on a radio, there's a good chance you've heard one of their songs called "Somebody Told Me".
Their other song that's been on the radio for years is "Mr. Brightside".
Everyone loves that song, and for good reason.
Okay, enough talking them up, I'll get to the album now:
1. "Sam's Town"
I'll admit that when I was 13, 14, and 15 years old I didn't understand the beauty of music or the details of it the way I do now.
I always got "bored" if I felt like a song took too long to "take off" and I turned Sam's Town every single time. (It doesn't take long to get going, I was just a stubborn teenager.)
It wasn't until I was 16 or 17 that I actually heard this song all the way through for the first time, and it's been one of my favorites ever since.
Brandon Flowers's voice is very unique and I think Sam's Town is the perfect opening song to show newcomers what they can expect him to sound like and how unique the melody of the instruments is.
I love the folk feel that can be heard in the background by something I can only assume is a fiddle or something similar.
Something else I'll probably say 12 times today is that I love the lyrics.
"I'm sick of all my judges, so scared of what they'll find"
Those are words I can relate to.
The bottom line is that I love everything about this song.
2. "Enterlude"
Ugh.
I love how "Sam's Town" cuts off and "Enterlude" comes on with nothing but Brandon's voice and a piano.
His voice over the piano is incredibly melodic and I think the pair was made for one another.
I think it's special that other instruments were excluded from "Enterlude" because the uniqueness of Brandon's voice deserves to stand out on its own every now and then.
Even though "Sam's Town" is the first song on the album, "Enterlude" is their welcoming song.
The lyrics read, "We hope you enjoy your stay / And it's good to have you with us / Even if it's just for the day"
It's soft and simple; it sounds beautiful.
3. "When You Were Young"
I remember playing this song on Guitar Hero on my PlayStation 2 when I was 10 to 12 years old.
I feel like "When You Were Young" is a feel good song you'd see teenagers or adults in their twenties dancing to in a movie.
I just picture young adults in love; they're probably outcasts or incredibly smart. Maybe they've got some baggage.
Regardless of what you picture when you hear this song, it's another masterpiece.
There aren't melodic rhythms to be heard as much as there are in other songs on the album; it's primarily guitars and maybe a keyboard.
"They say the devil's water / It ain't so sweet / You don't have to drink right now / But you can dip your feet every once in a little while"
Yes. Just yes. That's the best part if you actually listen to the song.
4. "Bling (Confession of a King)"
I feel like this song isn't for everyone, but it's certainly for me.
I think a lot of people would call this song "weird" because it sounds different. That's what I love about it.
There's a lot to be heard in this song as far as melodies, Brandon singing, and background words/singing.
There's a lot going on at once in this song, but it's literally like therapy for me. I just want to dance and swing my head around while I recite the lyrics.
"So you sling rocks at the riptide / Am I wrong or am I right? / I hit the bottom with a 'huh!' / Quite strange / I get my glory in the desert rain"
This is an ultimate feel good song for me. It just gets me pumped up... makes me feel like I want to get things done.
5. "For Reasons Unknown"
Oh, God. Another anthem...
This is another one that gets me singing at the top of my lungs.
"My heart, it don't beat / It don't beat the way it used to / And my eyes, they don't see you no more / And my lips, they don't kiss / They don't kiss the way they used to / And my eyes don't recognize you at all / For reasons unknown"
The guitar playing is similar to the rhythm of "When You Were Young". It also backs off on the additional instruments as was the case with "When You Were Young".
I think this is a song that anyone who's had poor relationships can relate to.
In fact, I could apply this song to more than one person I've been close to at different points in my life.
6. "Read My Mind"
If you haven't caught on, I'm not going to say anything bad about this album.
"Read My Mind" is one of my favorites because it really shows listeners the versatility the band has to offer.
The melody is funky and there's not much else like it that I've ever heard before, and the lyrics, as always, are unique and flow so smoothly over the busy music.
"Oh well, I don't mind if you don't mind / Cause I don't shine if you don't shine / Before you go / Tell me what you find when you read my mind"
Sometimes a busy song can draw attention away from the singer's voice, but that has not been the case so far with The Killers. Brandon's voice is too unique to hide behind the shadow of what's going on in the background, and this song is solid proof of that.
7. "Uncle Johnny"
This is arguably the best song on the album.
For your sake, I'm not going to mention my favorite lyrics because I would be quoting the whole song.
Instead, I want you to listen to it here.
It's "heavier" than the rest of the album in terms of guitar and drums, but it's still not a song I would classify as being "heavy". It certainly doesn't compare to a metal song.
But it's the best song. I wish I hadn't just listened to it... I can't stop any time soon now.
8. "Bones"
"Don't you wanna come with me? / Don't you wanna feel my bones ... on your bones? / It's only natural"
Well I don't think my husband would approve of that, Brandon, but thank you very much for asking.
Haha. This song is actually about the writer not wanting to be with the other person.
There's some kind of trumpet or something on this track and I'm in love with it.
I'm afraid of sounding repetitive about how much I love each track, so I'm gonna keep it short and simple.
9. "My List"
Another slow song that I adore very much...
If you enjoyed listening to Brandon over the soft music on "Enterlude", you'll love My List, too.
10. "This River is Wild"
The music picks back up with This River is Wild and it's yet another masterpiece.
I know I said "Uncle Johnny" is my favorite, but this song is a close second.
"I just want to show you what I know / And catch you when the current lets you go / Or should I just get along with myself? / I never did get along with everybody else"
I love everything about this song that I love about the others. The lyrics are smooth and Brandon's voice combined with the music takes my soul on an exhilarating adventure.
11. "Why Do I Keep Counting"
If you like to sing, you'll definitely be singing this song after you get used to the rhythm and lyrics.
A lot of the lyrics are repetitive which bothers some people, but I don't think it's repetitive enough to annoy the majority of people who will listen to the song.
It goes back and forth between a soft piano and a full band, which actually flows very well when switching back between the two.
I love it.
12. "Exitlude"
Clearly this is the closing song.
It matches "Enterlude" in terms of melody and lyrics.
"We hope you enjoyed your stay / It's good you have you with us, even if it's just for the day"
It's gentle, melodic, and catchy.
I've observed with other albums that the closing song is often a little boring or doesn't even have words. I really appreciate the work The Killers put into "Enterlude" and "Exitlude".
Overall...
I love this album, guys. It's perfect. Everything about it is perfect.
10/10.
Are you surprised? Why do you think I decided to review this album first? I literally couldn't find one imperfection.
The type of music might not be for everyone, but if you're a fan of indie rock, Sam's Town should be a classic for you.
Even if you're not a fan of indie or folk rock, I don't see how anyone could deny the talent that radiates from The Killers.
They're bursting with brilliance.
I want to say thank you to my Steemit friend 