3 CDs go against 'money' grain

Some bands and artists look at CDs as a snapshot of where they are at a certain point in their career. Others view the discs as a culmination of hard work and effort. And others see them as nothing more than moneymaking gimmicks.

The latter is especially true for record-label types.

However, I've come across three CDs that kind of go against any moneymaking lack of ideals. While one of them, The Killers' "Sam's Town," is a major-label release, the other two — Smashmouth's "Summer Girl" and Jonathan Cain's "Where I Live" — are independent releases.

THE KILLERS' "SAM'S TOWN," released on Island Records — the home of U2 and the late Bob Marley — is disappointing. The band, fronted by the charismatic Brandon Flowers, had made its mark on the music business a couple of years ago with "Hot Fuss," which brought back a fun '80s pop feel. But that's not "Sam's Town."

Instead, the band tries to dip into the Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi jar to find a new flavor, but in the process gets a hand stuck. Even the photos on the CD cover and liner notes sheet bring flashbacks to Bon Jovi's 1992 Midwestern romp "Keep the Faith."

The Killers' catchiness is gone. The songs — from the title track to "When You Were Young" to "Uncle Jonny" to "Bones," just to name a few — don't leave any kind of mark on the conscious or subconscious. Which is a surprise, seeing that major labels usually look for commercial hooks for radio play.

Consequently, the band makes it clear that this isn't Springsteen's E Street Band.

While it's good to branch out, sometimes it's better to build on a sound than to mix it up so much that there is no musical flow.

SMASHMOUTH'S "SUMMER GIRL," which was released on the band's own Beautiful Bomb Records (the album even features a song by that name), is a return to the more edgy sound that was found on the album "Fush Yu Mang," which featured the breakthrough hit "Walking on the Sun."

The retro-lounge-surf is still intact, but the songs are a bit darker in tone. If you're expecting another "All Star" or something similar to the band's remake of the Monkees' "I'm a Believer," look elsewhere. "Summer Girl" is Smashmouth but not as happy-go-lucky as it has been in the recent years.

Maybe that's because the band has grown up. Or maybe it's just burning out on the heavy events that are happening in the world.

Whatever, "Summer Girl" has lost a bit of the "Pacific Coast Party" feel.