Random Music Thoughts

- So you all know I was a proponent of the Killers' last album, right? After the first album's anemic by-rote 80s rip, I found the gigantic scope of their Springsteen Try to be ambitious and kinda awesome -- ultimately a failure, if you're stacking it up next to "Born To Run" or even Springsteen's latest, but an intresting, huge, bloated, beautiful failure. So last week, right, Trix kept mentioning this song they were playing on the radio. "It goes (she sings) 'Aa-a-a-a-are we huuuuman, or a-a-a-a-a-are we DAWWWWNCERS.' And it is the worst song I've heard in my entire life." Imagine my extreme disappointment when I finally heard it for myself -- not only is it the latest Killers single, of course, but she's absolutely right, it is appallingly, bone-crushingly awful. The music sounds like fucking third-rate bedroom Casiotone demos; there's NO grandiose sweep, no hook, no good melody; and the lyrics are so fucking horrible they just about made me cry. Killers: the fuck is up, guys? What happened to bloated ambition? Couple years you had to piss off and make something better, and nineteenth generation watered-down Spandau Ballet is the best you can do? Are we DAWWWWNCERS indeed.

- Very interested in the new Byrne/Eno album. Haven't heard it it all the way through yet, but an iTunes sampling tells me it's shockingly pop-oriented and really quite amazing. God knows I like Brian Eno, and God knows I like David Byrne, so what's not to like? Has anybody heard this thing yet?

- "Womanizer" -- pro or con? I vote pro. Joe Escalante on Indie 103's morning show was chuckling at it (c'mon, man, it isn't even COOL to chuckle at Britney anymore) and complaining that it sounded too much like Devo. Why is that a bad thing? I think it's a great song, even if her voice does sound rather pieced together, almost like someone's playing it on a Fairlight Synth.

- I'm also of two minds about Raphael Saadiq's latest, "The Way I See It." I mean -- it's good, and by all means go download it as soon as you can, because a closer and more loving Motown tribute you'll not hear this year. He hits all the marks, and the singing is actually damn near astonishing, the more I hear it. He ain't Smokey, but he's got something, this kid (*yes, I know he's not a kid.) But the question I've been asking over on my fave music board is: does it transcend? Does it pull an Amy Winehouse and actually become as cool or cooler than the thing it's borrowing from? I've listened all the way through about five times and I'm still of two minds. Every time through, I enjoy listening, but I'm still hit with the urge to put on ACTUAL Smokey Robinson after its over, and that might portend that it doesn't transcend. But man, is it fun. I mean, really really fun. And unlike a lotta people who channel the "old school," or think they do, this thing isn't just milksop balladry and slow jams -- it actually rocks in places, and you gotta give the man credit for that, at least. Minus two points for the Jay-Z cameo at the end. I loves me some Hova, but he sounds so outta place.

- Don't like Of Montreal now, never have, never will. Sorry, folks.

- High School Musical 3 -- how's the MUSIC, though? I didn't see 2, either (shame, I know!) but, y'know, I gotta hand it to whoever wrote HSM1, the songs stick in your craw. Someone who's heard the choons tell me whether I need to hit the theaters or not. I don't have a Daughter Excuse, so I need it to be really good to drag me into the theaaaatre.

- Bands: please stop hiring tribute band lead singers. I'm giving Journey a pass, but ONLY JOURNEY, okay?