The Killers go Western

The group was dubbed “the best British Band ever to come out of America.” This is because the members of The Killers, though all Brits, were born and bred in Las Vegas, of USA. They made headlines three years ago when their debut album Hot Fuss broke the five million barrier. This was thanks to engaging hit singles like Mr. Brightside, Smile Like You Mean It, All These Things That I’ve Done and Somebody Told Me, plus a hot, young soloist in the person of Brandon Flowers.

As far as I know, that is Brandon’s real name. I do not know if his parents were thinking of a theater marquee when they picked it out but it sounds good. It also looks good written in lights and was truly ideal for the New Romantic image he chose to adopt on stage when The Killers first came out. Brandon, also the group’s head songwriter, channeled the light side of ’80s Brit pop for their early efforts in Hot Fuss. Think Duran Duran or early Spandau Ballet or The Cure. And the results were most successful.

The Killers’ second release is entitled Sam’s Town and fans these guys made with Hot Fuss were very surprised by what they now had to offer. Brandon, plus Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer and Ronnis Vannucci have returned to Vegas. Not the Vegas of the gaudy neon lights but the dangerous, small casino town of the old West. It is goodbye frills and velvet and high cowboy ties and vests. The 180-degree turn is so complete that the cover art of the album even comes with photos of the desolate Nevada desert and of Native Americans.

The music has also changed. The Killers have gone epic with one mind-blowing cut after another of energetic arena rock. They probably know how big they have become and are now offering music suitable to the large-scaled concerts they are supposed to do. They are still a bit Brit. Think U2. But they are now also unmistakably American. Think Bruce Springsteen. But whatever it is they are channeling now, it is great to see the boys have grown in creativity and are now able to handle challenging themes and arrangements without sacrificing the commercial appeal they have established.

As before it is Brandon’s singing that carries the day. He is in excellent form most of the time and the mix has made his voice more expressive. He goes soft and low or loud and dramatic as each song requires without ever losing his focus. Listen to how he builds up from the tentative approach to the Enterlude to the booming rock of Bling (Confession of a King). Take note of how he allows the brasses to dominate the lyrical Bones and of how he gets the rhythm to the rousing build up in When You Were Young. Make no mistake about it, this kid was born to be a rock star.

It should not be forgotten though that Brandon sounds good in this new milieu because the music of The Killers has also improved tremendously. They experimented with strings, trumpets, other instruments and even back-up choruses and got things right. I have to admit some raw edges would have been nice. Rock always seems better a bit unpolished. Sam’s Town comes across as too perfectly produced for a rock album at times. But, whatever, the songs get the action going in all the right places and that is what really matters.

The infectious opener of the album is the title cut Sam’s Town. Other titles included are For Reasons Unknown, Read My Mind, Uncle Jonny, My List, The River is Wild and Why Do I Keep Counting.

Since we are in a rocking mood, you might want to take a look at other titles that I do not think rock lovers should miss owning in their original, and never the pirated versions.

What I’ve Done, the new album by Linkin Park; All The Right Reasons by Nickelback; Continuum by John Mayer; Extreme Behavior by Hinder; Year Zero by the Nine Inch Nails; Daughtry by Daughtry; Light Grenades by Incubus; Skin and Bones by the Foo Fighters and the so enjoyable and you should already have by now, Welcome to The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance.