...is another one of those mass-market public holidays that i'm totally against. The fact I scare easily and am a complete coward doesn't help things.

...is a holiday that this year, has been advertised and promoted since the end of August. Incidentally, the Christmas catalogues and stock has been around since pretty much the same time.

...is another day i've got off work. The weather is awful again, so if anyone wants me, i'll be in my bed.

...is a holiday that's said to have originated in Ireland and Scotland. Interestingly, America was one of the last places to accept and celebrate the holiday, going against many assumptions and theories.

...is a day that's only really meant for children. Why can't I have a holiday where i'm allowed to go knocking on my neighbours doors and getting free chocolate!?!?

 

I picked up (and went to the counter to pay for) The Killers' new record at the weekend.

As I read elsewhere, the first play was really dissapointing, and initial thoughts was that the band had clearly lost all of their style and substance evident in their debut album. But listening to the album tonight, it's just as accomplished (if not more so) than "Hot Fuss".

For starters, the record is a lot more confident. Songs are epic, huge powering anthems, that will leave choruses in your head for weeks to come, while sprinkles of synth-rock still populate many of these tracks, helping to bridge a gap between the last album and this, this, the radical departure and reinvention. Lyrically a lot of the songs are still the age-old formula of "boy loves girl", but again, and surprisingly so, these are just more elements left over from the last record and placed comfortably within each of the tracks. Brandon's voice also seems to be a lot more focussed this time round, a lot clearer, and again, full of confidence.

I think there's a slight chance a lot of previous fans will be turned off (if anything because of the band's new found popularity), but those first repeated listens are essential if you're to take this record seriously. Unfortunately this album suffers the problem of being something of a slowburner, but like all great records that possess this same atribute, the album gets better with each listen. "Bones" should be listened to religiously and will help influence your decision in liking the album, and if anything, is undoubtedly the highlight.

A fantastic follow-up to one of THE bands of 2004, "Sam's Town" sees the Nevada synth-rockers continue their momentum, improving on some of the elements that made them so good in the first place, as well as introducing echoes of something you never expected from them in the first place. The album is a slow burner, and does need some repeated listens, but it's worth it, and in my eyes, is a tenner well spent.

The future is going to be huge for these guys.