Just as the greatest thing about the sky is that we share it with everyone, the greatest thing about The Killers is that they shared their music with everyone. I love The Killers so much that I need to write a review of their greatest hits compilation from 2013.
It is hard not to succeed when your debut single is Mr. Brightside. If you also have a brilliant debut album, such as Hot Fuss was, no question you will have a great compilation called Direct Hits. Even If they did not make anything good after Mr. Brightside, they would still be an interesting band. Luckily, they have become a huge band.
Albums following Hot Fuss were never consistent as a whole, even though they gave birth to some of their greatest hits. Hot Fuss is opened by Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine, Mr. Brightside, Smile Like You Mean It, Somebody Told Me and All These Things That I’ve Done. Just WOW! Direct Hits have a slightly modified tracklist. As mostly singles appear here, they did not put Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine. So, where are Bones, The World We Live and some of those Christmas songs they release every year? It is weird to replace them with The Way It Is, the song from the last album that wasn’t even a single.
The Killers have managed to combine indie roots with whatever was asked of them. They never produced bad music, even when they were oriented towards pop. Just remember Sam’s Town, Day & Age, Battle Born…. We were all singing When You Were Young, Human, etc. My personal favorite was gender bending Somebody Told Me. Not only that the lyrics were groundbreaking, but the hook was also one of the most addictive pop-rock melodies of the decade.
The Killers are one of the most important bands of the past decade. Whenever anyone forgets that, they should just play this compilation and remember why.
