The Killers ft. Lou Reed - 'Tranquilize'
The late great Antony H. Wilson had this great line when he was throwing big names from the world of literature or philosophy or architecture or creativity in general into a conversation about popular music. He used to say something like "...just like Baudelaire. And if you don't know who Baudelaire is, that's fine, but you should probably read more.". Now, if you don't know who Antony H. Wilson is, that's what googling is all about. BUT, if you call yourself a fan of music of any stripe and you don't know who Lou Reed is - or his band the Velvet Underground - that's fine, but you should probably listen more.
But we're all straight on who the Killers are, right? And this is very much a Killers song. Or, to be accurate, a selection of tiny fragments of Killers songs, all sewn together into a dark patchwork quilt to wrap around the knees of one of music's elder statesmen, now the nights are drawing in.
Some fragments are big and epic, like the verses, which seem to be lifted straight out of a late '80s U2 album. Only the Killers being the Killers, they have to have one of those bits where the entire band seems to suddenly tighten their grip on the music, squeezing harder and harder, until you're fighting for breath by the time the anthemic chorus takes off.
Some fragments are slighty crackers, (or sound like musical theatre, same difference), like the tumbledown stabs after the chorus which lead into the children's choir, or the quiet little ending, which is entirely built up of what Julian Cope* calls 'glam descends'. That's an easy anthem trick, when every bar brings a new chord, in a descending run (or what feels like a descending run), in the style of 'All The Young Dudes' by Mott The Hoople. And if you don't know who Mott The Ho...you get the picture, right?
And the centre-piece of the quilt is the chorus itself, which also follows the glam descends pattern, contains the sound of two major rock musicians successfully attempting to summon the spirit of a third, namely David Bowie (in 1972). And if you don't know much about David Bowie in 1972...am I just talking to myself now?
*If you don't know who Julian Cope is, that's fine, but he's worth investigating.
Download: Out now
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comments
Hmm, seventies one-hit wonder links up with second rate indie blusterers who have dodgy B-sides compilation to shift for Christmas.
However, I'll be sure and lend an ear to their covers of KennY Rogers & The First Editions "Ruby, Don`t Take Your Love To Town" and "Romeo and Juliet" by Dire Straits.
Right.
The song is good, The Killers are great, and Lou Reed ROCKS!
Tranquilize......mmmmm
As i am a big lou reed fan this is a gem. I just hope that is more to come with lou pairing up with contemporary artists.
his immortal laid back vocal style sits very comfortably with the killers almost VU slant. I think this track will be massive.
also cannot wait for the next lou reed album. recently saw him perform 'Berlin' which was a triumph.
cheers
Jonathan
one hit wonder? lou reeds career has spand decades, what the hell are you talking about? One of the best known figueres in music and your calling him a one hit wonder? Fool i tells ya
Technically, Mr H. is right: at least here in the US, Lou Reed's one and only Top 40 hit was "Walk on The Wild Side" which came about in 1973, a few years before at least 75% of the Killers were born.
However, to just toss him off as a "One Hit Wonder" would be to completely disavow the large, complex, and culturally important amount of work he's created, from the aforementioned Berlin to, yes, even Machine Metal Music.
Just because this is a pop mag doesn't mean that it's always OK to disrespect your elders. :p
[Actually, TECHICALLY technically, he isn't a one-hit wonder at all. 'Satellite of Love '04' got to No.10 (same position as 'Walk On The Wild Side') and 'Perfect Day' was a No.1. OK, so that last one was a big celebrity joint effort thing, but he did write it and sing on it. Hardly Fast Food Rockers, is he? - Fraser]
Great song! Seems a little odd at first (like some other killers songs) but once u get to know it it becomes great,
I loved the first Killers album, it was breathtaking. The second album, although not rubbish, was a huge dissappointment when compared with 'Hot Fuss'.
This new song is average at best. Not good, not bad.
This song is top quality!! Great music and i love their unique style! Yet again the Killers havent failed to constantly make great music!
Fast Food Rockers! An absolute classic, strangely not banned for product placement related reasons.
Apologies for forgetting 'Satellite of Love '04', but it was,um, forgettable. The charity one disnae count so*
Mr Reed and VU fall into the category of sacred cows I decried on another thread not that long ago.
To respond to;
"to completely disavow the large, complex, and culturally important amount of work he's created, from the aforementioned Berlin to, yes, even Machine Metal Music."
Well, that was pretty much the intention as the whole notion of Lou Reed having any cultural importance is laughable in the extreme, and I would suspect that Mr Reed, who seems to have an awareness of his own ludicrousness, would probably agree.
"Just because this is a pop mag doesn't mean that it's always OK to disrespect your elders. :p"
Well, actually, I am one of the older readers of ChartBlog, and will never see my teens again (and the rest), so have had the misfortune to live through more of the raging idiocy that passes for pop commentary than most.
*Fast Food Rockers win!
June 2003 "The Fast Food Song" #2
October 2003 "Say Cheese (Smile Please)" #10
December 2003 "I Love Christmas" #25
You're so sweet and you're neat
You knock me off my two feet
You're chunky and hunky
I'm coming back for more (Hot Dog)
Your taste all embraces
I gotta sing your praises
Just savour the flavours
Waiting at your door
I think of you and lick my lips
You've got the taste I can't resist
Can't resist - can't resist
Let's eat to the beat
["have had the misfortune to live through more of the raging idiocy that passes for pop commentary than most."
Well if it's raging idiocy you want...WELCOME TO CHARTBLOG! - Fraser]
This is a fantastic song, look at how it is doing in the charts for example, and it is there first song ft. someone else, this is a whole new territory for them and they've just done really well.
second rate indie band? you obviously have never sat down and listened to them. i used to be as ignorant as you, but i took the time to see what all the fuss was about, and now i realise that they are simply the best band in the world.
My suggestion - stick to Kenny Rogers mate.
second rate indie band? you obviously have never sat down and listened to them. i used to be as ignorant as you, but i took the time to see what all the fuss was about, and now i realise that they are simply the best band in the world.
My suggestion - stick to Kenny Rogers mate.
Rob
Come back when the taste transplant takes.
I dunno i loved the first album and about 2/3 songs from the second album but i've listened to this Tranquilize song and it's just not good lol. I mean it maybe creative but it's not a catchy good song they're known for producing that everyone loves and makes it to the top of the charts.
it´s interesting that fraser give this fantatsic song the same rate as he did for tokio hotel´s actual single.
"tranquilize" is an epic anthem thing, with a legendary musician called lou reed and a band wich coul be the next U2 in their constantly development thing. they even getting bigger and bigger...and this
collabration with reed remind me a lot of the U2 collab with him.
the killers having great skillz, are good performer, and going the right way. coz they are polarize. thats important.
of course...tokio hotel also polariz...but its a very young band...they have a huge buzz from teenies out there. but they are construced by a german management and record label...and a tv station as well. they didn´t wrote their songs...for that they are have many ghostwriters. they can play their instruments and know what a good performance need and sure, they are havin a good marketing team behind them. but it´s not authentic, its a construced flip chart thing.
their frontman loves depeche mode and placebo, but rather molko than gahan would be doing a song together with them. thats not possible.
tokio hotel is a mid europe phenomenon. since rammstein their wasn no band who mad it in countries outside the german language based areas. but they never break the UK or US market.
anyway...concering tranquilize i really agree with this 4 points...but tokio hotel should become a 2 out of 5.
[A lot of interesting points raised here, Sir. But I didn't review Tokyo Hotel, that was Hazel Robinson. - Fraser]
Mr. H is an idiot. Keep dancing to the hit parade, 'H' and I'll listen to 'Love Makes You Feel' by sweet Lou...