I first heard this album while walking past Musica (a CD store in South Africa) - I heard the riff from ‘Somebody Told Me’ blaring from the store PA and that was enough to hook me.
Intrigued, I went in to hear more even though there was no way I could afford to by the CD. (I was a very broke student)
This angsty Brit punk that was somehow also synth-laden Vegas glam was definitely for me.

Musica had a headphone station where customers could listen to music before buying. You had to wait in line to listen. Sometimes the headphones were still warm from the person before you (and not a wipe or hand sanitizer in sight!).
It was there that I fell in love with this album.
Bouncing around in the shop with the volume cranked, wearing suspiciously damp headphones.
Bliss.

21 years later it’s still one of my favourite albums.
Brandon Flowers’ nonsensical (but somehow whimsical) lyrics still take me back to that day in the store, wearing those unsanitary headphones, having the best time.

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