For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.
Day 26: Las Vegas, NV
From the outset, I knew this roadtrip across America would require a visit to Vegas. After Elvis, there may not be an artist more tied to this place than The Killers. What a breath of fresh air they were when Hot Fuss descended on the music world. They weren’t subtle at all with their 80’s-influenced sound. More like a kick in the nuts than a nod. The band’s sound wasn’t the only thing that found its footing in that decade of music. Brandon Flowers’ vocals and songwriting are very eighties in their own way as well. While Sam’s Town felt more masculine and more rock, Day and Age had a lightness to it that suggested a band that wasn’t ready to be pigeonholed.
“Human” is that rarest of pop songs that’s incredibly catchy and surprisingly cerebral at the same time. The Killers up until this point wrote songs that felt personal, but “Human” was philosophical and showed the band’s ability to write about bigger things in life in a more accessible way. It doesn’t rock like “When You Were Young”, “Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine” or “Mr. Brightside”, but it rolls.
“Pay my respects to grace and virtue. Send my condolences to good. Give my regards to soul and romance. They always did the best they could. And so long to devotion. You taught me everything I know. Wave goodbye. Wish me well. You've gotta let me go.”