Boy Kill Boy

Civilian

[4/5] It’s impossible to listen to the full-length debut from hotshots Boy Kill Boy and not think of the Killers. Besides the sparkling synthesizers and obvious affection for the Smiths and Duran Duran, the London quartet ooze undeniable confidence in their strident riffs and bigger-than-life choruses in a way that’s very much reminiscent of Brandon Flowers & Co. But Civilian is far superior to Hot Fuss, thanks mostly to the constant barrage of sugary hooks and giddy new-wave flourishes; the quasi-ska beats on “Friday-Friday”; vocalist Chris Peck’s ridiculous affected accent on “Suzie”; or the synthpop throwback “On And On.” Heck, a few tunes on the disc even bring to mind Fall Out Boy tangoing with Morrissey-and that’s a pop marriage guaranteed to produce hits. (ISLAND/DEF JAM) Annie Zaleski