Track Listing

1. Tranquilize
2. Shadowplay
3. All The Pretty Faces
4. Leave The Bourbon On The Shelf
5. Sweet Talk
6. Under The Gun
7. Where The White Boys Dance
8. Show You How
9. Move Away
10. Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll
11. Who Let You Go?
12. The Ballad of Michael Valentine
13. Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town
14. Daddy's Eyes
15. Sam's Town (Abbey Road Version)
16. Romeo and Juliet
17. Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Remix)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5229 in Music
• Released on: 2007-11-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Album Description
Sawdust includes "All The Pretty Faces" (which was the b-side of "When You Were Young"); two movie soundtrack tunes, "Shadowplay" (a Joy Division cover from Control, Anton Corbijn's biopic of Ian Curtis) and "Move Away" (from Spiderman 3); as well as a cover of Kenny Rogers & The First Edition's "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" (written by Mel Tillis)

The collection will also contain songs which weren't completed for Hot Fuss and Sam's Town. The Killers recently went back into the studio to finish the tracks, including "Tranquilize" featuring Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Lou Reed.

Amazon.com
With only two studio releases behind them, it might surprise some to hear that the Killers had enough material to release a b-sides and rarities CD only five years after forming, but this is definitely no all-filler/no-killer collection, instead containing a mittful of legitimately strong and worthwhile songs. There are four never-before-released Killer songs on Sawdust, including "Tranquilize," featuring rock legend Lou Reed on half of the vocals, a number that is filled with a Queen-affected operatic touch. The previously unreleased "Shadowplay"--a Joy Division cover--unfortunately pales compared to the original, while "Leave Your Bourbon at the Door" is easily the summit of the CD; a longtime live favorite, the song's despair and urgency is a must-have for any Killer fan. Also noteworthy is an outtake from the Hot Fuss sessions called "Under the Gun," a driving melody with a memorable chorus that feels like a Killers classic. Lesser-known tracks gathered together on this compilation include "Move Away"--first heard on the Spiderman 3 soundtrack--which is straight-up U2-circa-Vertigo era, but still exciting to listen to. Some previously released b-sides are cover tunes that provide musical whimsy, but not much more: the trad-country "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town," which was made famous by Kenny Rogers, while the impassioned "Romeo and Juliet" tune--written by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame--is nearly mimicked by Flowers, and serves little more purpose than providing homage to a wonderfully written melody and tale. --Denise Sheppard

Customer Reviews

Sometimes leftovers can be just as sweet
The killers are such a talented and innovative synth rock group that every song they touch is potential gold. Their Midas touch is apparent on this album, which is a collection of unreleased tracks from previous albums, b-sides, covers, remixes, and one terrific new track.

Seventeen tracks make for a long and enjoyable listening experience, starting with the new track and first single "Tranquilize" which was recorded with Lou Reed. This is simply one of the best songs I've heard in a while, and has been playing (loudly) on "repeat" as I write this.

Covers: Shadowplay (originally by Joy Division); Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town (The First Edition, which included Kenny Rogers); Romeo and Juliet (Dire Straits).

B-sides and remixes: All the Pretty Faces; Under the Gun; Where the White Boys Dance; Show You How; Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll; Who Let You Go?; The Ballad of Michael Valentine; Daddy's Eyes; Sam's Town; Mr. Brightside, Questions with the Captain (very short, very hidden track).

Previously unreleased tracks: Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf; Sweet Talk.

Other: Move Away (remix of track from Spiderman 3).

It's almost impossible to recommend specific tracks, but if I was forced to choose, I'd go with:

Tranquilize
Sweet Talk
Shadowplay
Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town
Mr. Brightside

Try the samples on Amazon, and then if you agree with me, buy the album or at least these tracks - they're more than worth the price.




Amanda Richards, November 14, 2007

The Raw And The Cooked.
I own numerous b-side compilations from many different artists. I also own both of The Killers cds "Hot Fuss" and "Sam's Town". Generally speaking, b-side compilations tend to be on the average side--unfinished, rough drafts of songs that didn't quite make the cut. Every once in a while I find a b-side compilation that contains a-sides, or songs that should have made the Top 40. Case in point, Pet Shop Boys 1995 b-side compilation "Alternative". More often than not, however, b-side compilations are a mixed blessing such as Tears For Fears' "Saturnine Lunatic & Marshal" or Cake's "B-Sides & Rarities". Even U2's second discs from "Best Of U2 1980-1990" and "Best Of U2 1990-2000" were hit and miss.

So what about "Sawdust"? Well, there are some good songs like their cover of Joy Division's "Shadowplay", their cover of Kenny Rogers' "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town"(although Cake's version is equally as good), and their cover of Dire Straits' "Romeo & Juliet". Other reasonably good songs include the remix of "Mr. Brightside", the Abbey Road version of "Sam's Town", "Who Let You Go?", "Where The White Boys Dance", "Under The Gun", "Leave The Bourbon On The Shelf", "All The Pretty Faces" and "Glamorous Indie Rock And Roll" and maybe even "Move Away". The other songs felt average to me. I was particularly disappointed with "Tranquilize" and Lou Reed. I've heard much better from Reed and The Killers and "Tranquilize" felt like such a waste of a potentially great moment.

I agree with some of the other reviewers here that with only two cds The Killers are pushing it here. Most artists don't put out a b-sides until they have at least 5 or 6 albums out, sometimes much more. Yet, I see the Gorillaz have done the same thing with their "D-Sides" after only two cds (which I will review next week). Overall, "Sawdust" is fifty-fifty. There's some good songs and some not-so-good songs. I didn't feel there were any great songs here. "Hot Fuss" and "Sam's Town" contain some great songs surrounded by some good songs. "Sawdust" is just a stop-gap between albums, and a chance for The Killers and the record company to cash in at the holiday time.

Brandon Flowers gathers together his mustache clippings.
Brandon Flowers is quite a shape-shifter. On his band's debut, he was a strobe-lit, synth-pop drama queen; second time out he became a would-be guitar-rock messiah, complete with bolo tie and facial-scruff gravitas. Now, on this collection of 17 cutouts, he appears as a shadow-draped brooder, keening over the noisiest, grimmest music his band has ever made. It's his least exciting role yet, although not without charms. Here he is anguishing about "Bushes and bombs" with Lou Reed ("Tranquilize"); here he is doing his best Ian Curtis (the spry Joy Division cover "Shadowplay"); a big fat sing-along springs up on "Under the Gun"--only it goes "Kill me now kill me now kill me now!" It's easy to see why these songs didn't fit on their record but, while a full listen turns unrelentingly dour, they're better than discards have any right to be.