This is so bad that it's not even funny in an ironic way. It's not even the Snakes on a Plane of videos. Miles worse than "so bad it's good." Jaw-droppingly bad. I didn't even crack a smile at how fucking miserable this is. What a waste of life.
Seriously, I challenge you to find someone that actually enjoys this. This isn't snobbery here-- this is just plain terrible. I understand people who like music that I think is bad, such as mall punk and what have you. But Christ, who would actually enjoy this?
Head Killer Brandon Flowers thinks his band's new album, Sam's Town*, is going to be the best album in 20 years. A major influence is Bruce Springsteen. In fact, at 1:50 in this song, there's a moment reminiscent of the breakdown in Springsteen's "Born to Run". And it works. This is a big song and a great single. Comparisons to the Boss don't mean to say that this song as good as his work, but that it's an influence. And that's okay.
Below is the video for the song, which I think demonstrates perhaps this band's biggest problem. They take themselves way too seriously. They are a fun fucking band. "Mr. Brightside" is a certified anthem. These songs are the soundtrack to good times with your pals. But then they had that lame song with the "Indie rock'n'roll is what I need" or whatever terrible lyrics. I know this song channels the Boss, and that's a good thing. But don't think you are the Boss, Brandon. After all, your last name is Flowers. Someone needs to teach him about the phrase "tongue-in-cheek". Unless he knows this, and the joke's on me. But have you seen this guy? Exactly.
The song, however, stands tall on its own legs. It's as anthemic as anything they've done. If I'm in the car and "When You Were Young" comes on the dial, I'll be turning heads, popping ear drums, and rupturing vocal cords. Hopefully I can keep both hands on the wheel.
But seriously, check out this video:
*Sam's Town is a hotel in Las Vegas, where the Killers formed. Isn't that just the perfect place for this band to be from?
Oh, you've got green eyes Oh, you've got blue eyes Oh, you've got grey eyes And I've never seen anyone quite like you before No, I've never met anyone quite like you before
Sounds romantic, no? I'm not so sure. For what I always thought as a song about falling in love, being smitten, or having a hopeless crush might actually be about dancing around a club, high on X, looking from girl to girl. One of those "anyone'll do" sort of nights. You know the kind. But who really knows. And regardless of what Sumner truly means, "Temptation" is as energizing and uplifting as any song out there. If I need a pick-me-up, "Temptation" is where I go. It almost works like one of Cupid's arrows: I could probably fall in love with the next person I see after I hear it.
There are at least 4 different recorded versions of "Temptation": 12": 8:47 7": 5:21 Substance: 6:59 Temptation '98: 4:08
And all of them are good. The original versions, the 12- and 7-inch singles, are much rougher than the others that followed later. Sumner's voice isn't as sweet, as the band were still in the transition stages from Joy Division. The different versions of the song are also indicative of the state of New Order at moment in time in which they were recorded. The early versions are rougher and fit in more with the band's first album, Movement, as well as their other early singles, such as the Joy Division leftover "Ceremony". But the Substance version has a much cleaner sound that better meshes with the band's late 80s sound.
Legend (or just obsessive fans) has it that the 12" are 7" are supposed to be played consecutively, in that order, as the 12" fades in and has a cold ending, while the 7" has a cold start and fades out. The song works no matter how it starts or ends, or which versions are played in whatever order. If I saw New Order live and they just played a 90 minute version of "Temptation", I might not leave completely disappointed. But I'd really like to hear "Ceremony" and "Age of Consent", too.
Here are two live clips, twenty years apart, that clearly demonstate the differences between each version:
Sawin' Blogs is a music/etc blog for the curious. For indie rock elitists as well as people who listen to shit. You know, pretentious without making you feel like an idiot. Most of the time.
As much as we'd like to host free downloads, that's illegal and we don't like being sued. From time to time we'll have free shit, depending on the material, but the download links here will usually take you to iTunes, where you can then sample and/or buy the song. But, you'll need iTunes for those links to work. If you don't use that program, start.
