Rebel Diamonds＜Green Vinyl＞

Back in 2003, Las Vegas quartet the Killers were just another young act pushing angular indie that revived post-punk and new wave sonics for a new generation, scoring a minor hit in England with a little song called "Mr. Brightside." Over in the U.S., it took over a year for another single, "Somebody Told Me," to edge its way onto the mainstream charts, peaking in late 2004 in a landscape that featured competition from acts like Hoobastank, Linkin Park, and Green Day. One could be forgiven for thinking they were just a flash in the pan, destined to fade away like so many of their early-aughts peers. However, two decades later, they had enough hits (and then some) to craft their second greatest-hits compilation, Rebel Diamonds. Celebrating 20 years with 20 songs, the collection showcases seven studio albums and a trio of stand-alone singles that have kept the Killers on the radio, in stadiums, and on international festival stages since the bands inception, surviving the times with enduring hits and beloved favorites. Building upon 2013s Direct Hits set, Rebel Diamonds retains most of that first decades tracks (major differences being "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" replacing "Smile Like You Mean It" for Hot Fuss representation; "For Reasons Unknown" getting axed; and "Be Still" performing double duty in the Battle Born era instead of "Miss Atomic Bomb" and "The Way It Was"). These changes are welcome, giving "Jenny" and "Be Still" some much deserved attention in the face of their more-famous album siblings. The relative tumult of the Killers uneven second decade can be seen on the back half. After a five-year gap between albums, they returned in 2017 with Wonderful Wonderful, which yielded the strutting Bowie tribute "The Man" but not much else. At this point, it had been half a decade since they had a hit, and the future seemed a little uncertain. So when 2020s Imploding the Mirage landed to a flood of critical acclaim and fan adoration, it was a welcome comeback that reestablished the group with rousing, anthemic gems such as "Caution," "My Own Souls Warning," and "Dying Breed." Even 2021s subdued, Americana-leaning Pressure Machine -- which added more emotional depth to their catalog with some of Brandon Flowers most engaging storytelling to date -- kept the revival going, culminating in a triumphant international tour that found them performing on some of the biggest stages to date. In a generous move, the Killers added three fresh tracks to the album, produced with longtime collaborator and Day & Age studio man Stuart Price. These infectious, 80s-indebted nu-wave nuggets stand tall as some of the bands best non-album tracks, echoing Erasure ("boy"), Pet Shop Boys and New Order ("Your Side of Town"), and even New Order by way of Underworlds "Born Slippy (Nuxx)" on "Spirit." Showing just how far Flowers, Dave Keuning, Ronnie Vannucci, Jr., and Mark Stoermer had come from just being stylish, Anglophile scenesters, Rebel Diamonds is a perfectly curated snapshot of two decades of indelible hits from one of the greatest American rock ambassadors of a generation. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

2004年の初作『Hot Fuss』から世界規模でライヴ活動を展開してきたラスヴェガス出身のバンドが、デビュー20年の節目にベスト盤をリリース。これまでの人気曲に加えて2023年の配信シングル"Boy"Your Side Of Town"、さらに新曲も収録。オルタナ系からダンス・ロック、ニューウェイヴ、ハートランド系に至るまで幅のあるスタイルに芯を通す美意識が実にかっこいい。
bounce (C)狛犬