Three years ago, I walked into the lush green field where Festibelly in Lymington was held in late morning. The food vans were on standby, the tents had heads up high, and the stage was in prime position. Among this were other smaller tents, Massive in China, a disco tent, and even a tree house. Wading with grace through the dew my group found our little weekend patch and set down the gear to bask in the sun at the peak time for vitamin D. And the first thing I heard when setting down the festival necessities happened to be ‘Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll’ by The Killers. Of course, they weren’t playing this Georgian market towns festival, it was merely blaring from the speakers further down and echoing over our way. Naturally we couldn’t help but stop and let rip to the bellowing chorus “it’s indie rock and roll for meeeee”, and weirdly it was a highlight because it started us all off on such a high, shouting the words to it with the other strangers around us. Not to say that alt. poppers Bastille and reggae darling Hollie Cook didn’t provide flawless performances through the rest of the weekend, but it was a mini moment of unity that was memorable upon kicking off the weekend.

When this album came out I was 8 – and yet when my mum bought this album into the house, it was one of the only things my sister, my mum and I agreed on music wise – my mum and I didn’t share the enthusiasm for my sisters taste in bounce anthems found on ‘Wigan Pier’ CDs, while my sister and I were haunted by the overplaying of KT Tunstall’s ‘Eye to the Telescope’.

Though being 8 I knew nothing much of music only what was played in the house – so ‘Hot Fuss’ was a pleasant surprise for me. And here it is, 7th of June, 10 years on, one whole decade on. What strikes me about it (which may sound completely cliché , but I’m saying it anyway) is that it still sounds like it could be from today. There. I said it.

The thing about The Killers on this album is that they have a penchant for churning out some mega rock anthems, but Brandon Flowers keeps that shaky yet stable level of raw overblown emotion in his voice. ‘Mr. Brightside’ and ‘Somebody Told Me’ have Flowers shouting along with the sugar rush of stadium ready guitars and rapid drums. ‘Jenny Was a Friend of Mine’ is another great example of Brandon’s bruised yet melodic vocal which lends the song an emotional urgency.  As for the dark swirling riffed  ‘Smile Like You Mean It’ and the storming arena rock stomper ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’ they’re both melancholic yet jolly tracks which make you want to have soul, even if you aren’t a soldier. But who would have thought these tunes would be riding the airwaves all these years later? And I’m not talking about the chewing gum, I’m talking national radio. You can’t not appreciate the Killers big ones, I mean even my dad likes ‘Mr. Brightside’ claiming proudly it’s the first song he downloaded directly from iTunes. But it’s not just the strong singles that resonate, I noticed the first half is the singles and the 2nd half is the other material that was previously unheard. I’ve noticed many critics note this and claim that the second half lags, to which I scoffed. I mean it is fair to say that ‘Believe Me Natalie’ which is about a dancer who is dying from AIDS having her final chance to dance isn’t one that everyone would label as their song – but it’s jangling riff and synth twinkle ironically gives it an optimistic sparkle that you can’t help but tap along with despite the subject matter. ‘Midnight Show’ is undeniably catchy and contains the frenetic fast paced action you’d have in a show, without having to go and watch a show, whatever show that may be. But nothing can beat the jagged and moody electric strum of ‘Andy, You’re a Star’. This is the one that I would instantly flick to when switching on ‘Hot Fuss’ before continuing to rock through the rest. And it’s the easiest track to mime an air guitar too, which comes in handy when you need to practice the simple air chords, which everyone needs to do once in a while.

The pattern of synths that are played throughout ‘On Top’ appear along with a sunny riff serenaded by Brandon remembering Rio and getting down, like some other DJ, in some other town. It’s worryingly self assured for a debut, and I see that now in this song in particular, what band says “we’re on top” on their debut? Any other band would save that line for the sophomore effort where they had a surer idea of their fan base. The only conclusion I can come to is that is they knew how big they were going to be, because listening to it now I still don’t hear any hint of reluctance in what’s offered in this album. Though the closer ‘Everything Will Be Alright’ offers another a slow waltz aided by soft jingles and blunt synth plods almost sounds like them telling themselves that the confidence on this record will pay off. And thank God they were so self assured is all I can say. Who else was going to step forward and make the most criminally cliched yet brilliantly catchy and orchestrated rock debut of 2004? ‘Hot Fuss’ is what it is, a debut from a band who knew their sound before they even started out. It’s an album you don’t have to take with a pinch of salt, not with a vodka, or a joint. No it’s not that sort of album, it’s a rock record that resonates universally a decade after it’s release and still sounds genuinely exciting upon listening back, and sounds now. ‘Hot Fuss’, you’re a star. In everyone’s eyes, and mine.