Brandi Carlile's view on The Killers

BRANDI CARLILE is a rough-and-tumble young woman of 25, most at ease at her home on the outskirts of Seattle with her Doberman, cat and horse, Sovereign. Alas, the road beckons. Starting Sunday Ms. Carlile, who has opened for Ray LaMontagne and Shawn Colvin on past tours, begins touring with her band, which includes two longtime collaborators, “the twins,†Tim and Phil Hanseroth. Her roots-rock second album, “The Story†(Sony), is out Tuesday. Ms. Carlile’s voice confidently flits from sturdy to raw, wavering over lyrics about the emotional minefields of loss and love. On the song “Cannonball,†she is joined by the Indigo Girls. She spoke recently with Winter Miller about what she’s listening to now

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Muse

I’m an obsessed Muse fan. Their record before this was “Absolution,†and when I heard it, I thought it was like the best songs off Queen’s “Night at the Opera†and Radiohead’s “Bends†on one record. I didn’t think they could get any more dramatic. When I heard “Black Holes and Revelations†(Warner Brothers) I realized they’d broken through the ceiling. They got bigger, bolder and more dramatic. I saw them play, and the singer was playing lead guitar with his left hand and keyboards with his right while singing. They play arenas in Europe, but I got to see them at Neumos in Seattle, which has a capacity of like 600. The audience was rocking so hard we thought the floor was going to break.

Elton John

“The Captain and the Kid†(Mercury/Interscope) is what I took to be a sequel to “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.†Around the time of “Captain Fantastic†there was a rift between Elton John and Bernie Taupin, who was writing lyrics critical of Elton John. So Elton John had to sing words that were critical of himself like, “bitter fingers never swung on singing stars.†When I found out about “The Captain and the Kid,†I knew immediately that the title was a lyric from the first song on that ’70s album, “The captain and the kid stepping in the ring.†Now listening to it, I’m not so sure it’s a sequel, but I find it just as entertaining. This is a return to form for Elton John. To me, he can do no wrong. Even when he was putting out “Too Low for Zero†in the ’80s, I was still in love with Elton John.

The Killers

When “Sam’s Town†(Island) came out I read terrible reviews all over — how this record was a rip-off of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run†and how the Killers need to return to form and shouldn’t have tried to change their vibe. The critics considered it arrogant, like they were trying to make a statement. As an artist I find that whole concept offensive and also humorous. You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If you make a record that sounds like your first record, then you’re in a stylistic trap. If you put out a record that’s different from your first, then you’re criticized for not needing your fans anymore. This record sounds heavily influenced by Springsteen, and what’s wrong with that? Who’s not influenced by Bruce Springsteen? The whole record is covered with great keyboard sounds that are really dramatic and not cheesy, and that’s a hard thing to combine. The Killers understand the value of being dashing. I think it’s pretty bold that Brandon Flowers wears a mustache. I come from the school of thought that says people who come to see you perform don’t want to see you play in your T-shirt and jeans — unless it’s one of those little tuxedo shirts. Sometimes I wear pretty elaborate western shirts.

Madeleine Peyroux

“Half the Perfect World†(Rounder) sounds really mature. I think the temptation to sound polished is exactly what makes things sound immature. It’s tempting to go into the studio and make a glossy record, because who doesn’t want to sound perfect? But maturity is the ability to embrace your imperfections and consider them something good rather than a fault. I like for a record to have a good live feel, and this record sounds live, like people in a room making music. My favorite thing on here is her rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “River,†because it’s the only time I’ve heard it that scattered and jazzy, and I love that song.

Amen to what she says