Review of The Killers Album - Sam's Town

Fans of the Killers had legitimate reason to be fearful in the months preceding the band's second release Sam's Town. Hot Fuss was such a highly acclaimed album by critics and the public alike that the dreaded sophomore slump seemed imminent.

What's more, the band's claim that their new album took influence from the work of Bruce Springsteen was another reason for concern. Both the Vegas glam-rock of the Killers and the Americana anthems of the Boss work well enough on their own, but are the two sounds compatible?

The answer is a surprising yes, as there's a lot going on in Sam's Town to enjoy.

The fingerprints of Springsteen are all over these 12 cuts, both musically and thematically. It would be unfair to focus solely on this influence (easy as it may be) since there is enough of the Killers' own style to consider this more than a copycat album.

Sam's Town opens with a swelling of synthesizer and guitar on the title track and quickly switching to a dance rock beat. Flowers belts out a few reminiscent anecdotes about life in Las Vegas before paying homage to a lesser known casino in his hometown.

The jewel of this album is the song "Bones," (destined to be the band's next single) an incredibly catchy tune about young lust that displays the pinnacle of Flowers' vocal talent. The production value only accentuates his strength with backing choirs of baritones and sopranos, new wave synth and powerful horn arrangements.

The only major flaw of Sam's Town is the presence of several pretentious, nonsensical lyrics. "I pull up to the front of your driveway/ with magic soakin' my spine," Flowers sings on "Read My Mind." Your guess is as good as mine in regards to what that means. Still, it's hard to blame the boys for similar lines peppered throughout the album. That's what's selling these days (point in case, anything featuring Connor Oberst).

The Killers have certainly put Bono, who jokingly asked them to "spare us the interesting second album," and anyone else who may have considered them a one-hit-wonder in their place. Sam's Town is a great second album that vitiates just enough from Hot Fuss to keep the sound fresh.

While it may be, for the most part, the product of Flowers' sudden obsession with an older, more established artist, the album retains a sense of individuality.

The Killers end the album with "Exitlude," in which they exclaim in unison, "we hope you enjoyed your stay/ and it's good to have you with us/ even if it's just for the day." In true Vegas fashion, I'm going all in on most listeners not only enjoying their stay, but making many return trips.

4 of 5