I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve always had a secret love for The Killers. As one of the first “indie” bands I listened to in my younger days, they will always have a special place in my heart, even if hardcore hipsters deride me for such sentiments.
The band’s latest offering, Day & Age, introduces some disappointing changes to their already seasoned formula. The problem lies mainly in the album’s awkward classic rock vibe that rears its smarmy head in songs like “Neon Tiger” and, appropriately, “A Crippling Blow.” Luckily, the malaise does not linger for long, and the dreamy ‘80s synths of the Killers of old inch back into the picture.
“A Dustland Fairytale” is one of the more prototypical Killers songs on the album, jamming lyrics like, “He looked just like you’d wanted him to/ A sort of slick chrome American prince” and “I saw Cinderella in a party dress/ But she was looking for a nightgown.” The song touches on the same themes as the omnipresent jam, “When You Were Young”: young romantic dreamers, desolate deserts, lost loves, and shattered expectations.
“Human,” another entry in the “typical” category, presents a sort of enigma. During the chorus, Brandon Flowers seems to say, “Are we human, or are we denser?” No offense to Flowers’ superior grip on the ins and outs of physics, but does that even make sense? Despite the logical flaw within the song, “Human” is undeniably catchy. One awaits the deluge of remixes by every wannabe DJ from D.C. to San Fran.
Whether you think the Killers are sell-out, trendster indie rockers, or über-cool rock stars, they have definitely delivered another decent album with Day & Age, and for that they deserve our praise (if not our money…).
Voice’s Choices: “A Dustland Fairytale”, “Human”, “I Can’t Stay”
