Vegas Mash Up

There's been a lot of hype lately about two bands from Las Vegas, one just on the rise (Panic! At the Disco) and the other trying to maintain their fame of a couple of years ago (The Killers). Everything I've read about these bands has mentioned the feuding and controversy between the two, so in the tradition of blogospheric bullying I thought I'd do a celebrity/band death match right here: Panic! vs The Killers. Who's the better band and why? BRING IT!

Musical Recordings: The Killers (but just by a hair)
There's no denying that Hot Fuss, the debut album by The Killers, was a success for a reason. Having sold over 3 million copies The Killers have successfully brought back brit-synth-pop from the 80s and 90s, and in a better way that many bands from back then (see Flock of Seagulls) could never do: they made the music really good. The songs each have a smooth blending of synthetic keyboard sounds, strong guitars and an infusion of actual rock n' roll to create real keepers like Midnight Show, All These Things That I've Done and Mr. Brightside.

Panic! doesn't slump on this front as their debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out is feverish and addictive with high pitched lyrics and guitar riffs. The songs are from the heart and increadibly easy to love, but you can get a sense of ingenuity in them - and for good reason since not a single Panic! member is 21 years old yet. The album doesn't have the kind of arc that Hot Fuss does - taking you from one song to another with a melody distinctly different from the last song but still connected. Like I said before though, these guys are young (with a capital Y) and have a ways to go, with a lot of potential.

The one thing not going in The Killers' favor here is their upcoming second album, Sam's Town. I've only heard songs from this LP when I saw them this weekend at the Virgin Fest, and they were no great shakes. Basically Hot Fuss but with less synthasizer (they've been touting it as a departure from British synth-rock). I hate to say it but I'm predicting a sophmore slump here, and that's why The Killers eek this category out by just a hair.

Live Performance: Panic! At The Disco
So, full disclosure here is that I've never seen Panic! live, but from everything I've read and seen on TV I feel like this is an easy category for judgement. Panic! pulls from their Vegas roots in a major way for their live performances. They've got burlesque dancers, serious costumes, face paint, and some wild antics that include lap dances on stage. You just can't deny that would make for an incredible show.

The Killers, meanwhile, I've seen twice live, and both times they fell flat. Lead singer Brandon Flowers looks like he's always trying to catch a glance of himself in the mirror and doesn't do anything to get the crowd riled up. And now The Killers are all wearing old western outfits and accompanying facial hair as part of the Sam's Town theme, which basically just makes Flowers look creepy and the drummer look just like Jason Lee. Riiiight.

Icing on the cake: Panic! is touring with Bloc Party this fall and has previously toured with Dresden Dolls, giving them immediate street cred.

Front Men: Panic! At the Disco
This is basically a no brainer. Brendon Urie from Panic!, even at only 19, puts Flowers to shame, if only in modesty. If you can forgive Urie his one slip up on MTV when he expressed frustration at the band's fame being propelled by the guys' "heartthrob status" (they are here to make music, not girls swoon!) Panic! has weathered quite a bit of sh*t talking, from none other than Flowers himself who said that they, as part of emo in general, were "dangerous." The Panic! guys have taken it all in stride, accepting their newfound fans and fame with what seems like a honeymoon bliss, and basically letting the bullsh*t pass them by.

Flowers, on the other hand, has been talking more smack than Donald Trump lately. He's made comments like "I have no idea who Shed Seven are. If we sounded like them they would have sold 3 million records and we probably would have heard of them." (to NME) than should be said by a band who's only had one successful album. Not to mention he's been touting Sam's Town as bascially the second coming, saying it will "be the best album in the past twenty years" and comparing it to "Born to Run" and Springsteen. Pretty bold claims, and if you ask me Flowers might be writing checks his band can't cash...

Album and Song Names: Panic!
When it comes to album names, Panic! wins this one hands down. Fever You Can't Sweat Out is catchy and it obviously relates to the music beneath the cover. And it's impossible not to smirk at the songs beneath the album cover, including "Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" and "There's a Reason These Tables Have Numbers Honey, You Just Haven't Thought of it Yet."

Lyrics: The Killers:
This one I've got to give to The Killers, since "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" is truly worthy of it's popularity. It's poignant without hitting you in the face, and I can really appreciate that since many bands write lyrics that are either incomprehensible or just too far out to get a sense of what they really mean. In this category, Flowers has an edge.

Overall winner: Panic!
While they're greener than most bands and have yet to legally buy a drink, I'm going to stake my claim with Panic! and say that in the Vegas Mash Up they win TKO.