What's the story?
After their legendary first album Hot Fuss and their slightly disappointing second contribution Sam's Town it is with anticipation that we awaited this album of ‘rarities and B-sides' from Brandon Flowers and friends. Sawdust is a collection of new singles, covers and alternative recordings of album tracks and is an added bonus for those impatient Killers fans looking for an insight into what's likely to be in store from their upcoming third album.
What's to like?
Tranquilize is the opening track on Sawdust and as one of the offerings of fresh material is definitely one of the highlights of the album. Featuring the vocals of Lou Reed it mixes together The Killers distinctive rock and electronic beats sprinkled, quite bizarrely, with vocals from a children's choir and is a very promising start and creates high hopes for the band's future.
Leave The Bourbon On The Shelf is also a standout track and harks back to The Killers' contagious rocking sound first heard on the likes of Mr Brightside, leaving you wondering why it was only a B side.
What's not to like?
There are some ‘take it or leave it' tracks, most of the re-hashings of their album tracks add nothing extra to what we've heard before, the lacklustre remix of Mr Brightside in particular loses all the power and emotion of the original.
Romeo and Juliet is also another needless cover on the album and does nothing to enhance the Dire Straits classic, and unfortunately fails to show any of The Killers' imagination.
Verdict?
Sawdust is an unpredictable mix of a few stirling tunes padded out with several uninspiring remakes. It whets our appetites for more from the boys from Vegas but also leaves us a little disappointed that this album doesn't include more original material. For those die-hard Killers fans among us it may make a great Xmas present for the rest it might be worth waiting until mid 2008 when their third album is expected to be released.
Rating
3/5
