Sawdust is a compilation album by American rock band the Killers, released on November 9, 2007, by Island Records. The album consists mostly of B-sides, but also includes a number of previously unreleased tracks. The songs on the album were recorded between 2002 and 2007.

Sawdust
Compilation album by
ReleasedNovember 9, 2007 (2007-11-09)
Recorded2002–2007
Genre
Length72:13
LabelIsland
Producer
The Killers chronology
Sam's Town
(2006)
Sawdust
(2007)
Day & Age
(2008)
Singles from Sawdust
  1. "Shadowplay"
    Released: October 8, 2007
  2. "Tranquilize"
    Released: October 12, 2007

Background edit

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic65/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]
BBC MusicFavorable[4]
BillboardFavorable[5]
Entertainment WeeklyB[6]
Melodic     [7]
musicOMH     [8]
NME6/10[9]
Now3/5[10]
Pitchfork5.5/10.0[11]
Rolling Stone     [12]

The album was first mentioned by Brandon Flowers in an interview with Billboard in late August 2007.[13] Rolling Stone revealed the name of the compilation in its "Smoking Section" on September 6, 2007.[14] Sawdust was inspired by B-sides collections such as Oasis' The Masterplan, the Smashing Pumpkins' Pisces Iscariot and Nirvana's Incesticide.[15]

"Our most metal song is 'All the Pretty Faces' on Sawdust…" observed guitarist Dave Keuning. "That's a part of who I am. When you're in eighth grade, you're into AC/DC and Metallica. And any guitarist who says they weren't is fucking lying."[16]

The UK and Australian editions of the compilation included an additional track "Change Your Mind" as it was replaced with "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll" on original release of Hot Fuss album there.

Commercial performance edit

Sawdust debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200, selling 82,000 copies in its first week.[17] The album was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on April 4, 2008,[18] and had sold 493,000 copies in the United Kingdom by August 2020.[19] It was also certified platinum by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) for sales of 15,000 copies.[20]

Track listing edit

No.TitleWriter(s)ReleaseLength
1."Tranquilize" (featuring Lou Reed) (NYC, Summer '07)Brandon FlowersPreviously unreleased3:45
2."Shadowplay" (Sam's Town sessions, '06)Music From The Motion Picture Control4:07
3."All the Pretty Faces" (Sam's Town sessions, '06)"When You Were Young" single4:46
4."Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf" (Dave's apartment, '02 and Las Vegas, Fall '07)FlowersPreviously unreleased3:38
5."Sweet Talk" (Sam's Town sessions, '06 and Las Vegas, Fall '07)
Previously unreleased4:19
6."Under the Gun" (Hot Fuss sessions, '03 and Las Vegas, Fall '07)
  • Flowers
  • Keuning
Re-recorded version previously unreleased, original version from "Somebody Told Me" single2:34
7."Where the White Boys Dance" (Sam's Town sessions, '06)Flowers"When You Were Young" single3:26
8."Show You How" (Hot Fuss sessions, '03)Flowers"Somebody Told Me" single2:46
9."Move Away" (Sam's Town sessions, '06)
  • Flowers
  • Keuning
  • Stoermer
Music from and Inspired by Spider-Man 33:50
10."Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll" (Hot Fuss sessions, '03 and Las Vegas, Fall '07)
  • Flowers
  • Keuning
  • Stoermer
  • Vannucci
Re-recorded version previously unreleased, original version from Hot Fuss4:17
11."Who Let You Go?" (Hot Fuss sessions, '03)
  • Flowers
  • Keuning
  • Vannucci
  • Stoermer
"Mr. Brightside" single3:43
12."The Ballad of Michael Valentine" (Hot Fuss sessions, '03)
  • Flowers
  • Keuning
"Somebody Told Me" single3:50
13."Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" (BBC sessions, '05)Mel Tillis"Smile Like You Mean It" single3:05
14."Daddy's Eyes" (Sam's Town sessions, '06)Flowers"Bones" single4:15
15."Sam's Town" (Abbey Road Version) (Abbey Road sessions, '06)Flowers"For Reasons Unknown" single3:44
16."Romeo and Juliet" (Abbey Road sessions, '07)Mark Knopfler"For Reasons Unknown" single5:28
17."Mr. Brightside" (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Remix)
  • Flowers
  • Keuning
"Mr. Brightside" single10:40
18."Questions with the Captain" (hidden track) Previously unreleased 
Total length:72:13
Additional track on UK and Australian editions
No.TitleWriter(s)ReleaseLength
17."Change Your Mind" (Hot Fuss sessions, '03)
  • Flowers
  • Keuning
Hot Fuss3:13

Production edit

  • Flood: tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 14
  • Alan Moulder: tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 14
  • The Killers: tracks 1-12, 14, 17, also "Change Your Mind" on UK and Australian editions
  • Stuart Price: tracks 4, additional production on track 5
  • Jeff Saltzman: tracks 6, 8, 10-12, 17, also "Change Your Mind" on UK and Australian editions
  • Jacques Lu Cont: remix producer on track 17

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[44] Platinum 40,000^
Australia (ARIA)[45] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[46] Gold 50,000
Ireland (IRMA)[20] Platinum 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Platinum 493,000[19]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References edit

  1. ^ Doug McCausland. "Top 10 Alternative Rock B-Sides Albums". AlternativeNation.net. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  2. ^ "Sawdust by The Killers Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Sawdust – The Killers". AllMusic. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  4. ^ Fox, Al (November 9, 2007). "Review of The Killers – Sawdust". BBC Music. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  5. ^ Billboard review Archived September 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Leah Greenblatt (November 27, 2007). "Entertainment Weekly review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  7. ^ Spinelli, Tom. "The Killers – Sawdust". Melodic. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
  8. ^ Murphy, John (November 12, 2007). "The Killers – Sawdust". musicOMH. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  9. ^ Haynes, Gavin (November 16, 2007). "The Killers: 'Sawdust'". NME. Archived from the original on June 4, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  10. ^ Keller, Jason (November 22, 2007). "Killers". Now. Archived from the original on January 21, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  11. ^ Deusner, Stephen M. (November 27, 2007). "The Killers: Sawdust". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  12. ^ Hoard, Christian (November 29, 2007). "Sawdust : The Killers". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 15, 2007. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  13. ^ Benson, John (August 23, 2007). "Killers Corralling Rarities For B-Sides Album". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  14. ^ "Smoking Section: Fiona Apple, Kanye West, The Killers and Tom Petty". Rolling Stone. September 6, 2007. Archived from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved October 15, 2007.
  15. ^ "Killers Talk About Two New LPs, Duet With Lou Reed". MTV News. August 27, 2007. Retrieved November 19, 2007.
  16. ^ Allen, Matt (January 2008). "Cash for Questions: The Killers". Q. No. 258. p. 23.
  17. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (November 21, 2007). "Keys Storms Chart With Mega-Selling 'As I Am'". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  18. ^ a b "British album certifications – Killers – Sawdust". British Phonographic Industry. April 4, 2008. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  19. ^ a b Copsey, Rob (August 21, 2020). "The Killers' biggest albums on the Official UK Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  20. ^ a b "The Irish Charts - 2007 Certification Awards - Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
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