Lovers of hit songs like “Somebody Told Me” and “Spaceman” by American band the Killers can rejoice this month as the group released their fourth album.
Or maybe not, since this album is surprisingly different from its predecessors.
Killers’ fans will find the catchy yet questionable lyrics from “All These Things That I’ve Done” and “Somebody Told Me” absent and their usual upbeat, pop-like rhythm departed. Which undoubtedly has always been a part of their unanticipated success. You may not understand why you’ve got soul but aren’t a soldier, yet nonetheless, you’re among the undeniably committed crowd who chants the lyrics when the song is played.
There is one definite, tangible change in this new album, entitled Battle Born, and it is the fact that for once their music has departed from doing the one thing the Killers’ albums are infamous for doing: sounding so much like the one prior, you question their degree of separation.
For die-hard Killers fans, if they exist — it sometimes seems as though the band’s fan-base foundation is adopted on a like-because-the-song-is-stuck-in-my-head basis — there is a shining light in a blend of songs that are relatively low-key and anti-climatic. It is the comfort of Brandon Flowers’ voice and range, which hasn’t seemed to change a bit. His rendition of “Miss Atomic Bomb” is reminiscent of “Mr. Brightside” with its climbing rhythm and desperation-sodden vocals.
Slow and drawn, Flowers’ emotional commitment to his songs is something to be commended. From “Here With Me” to “Heart of a Girl”, you can’t help but tune into a certain expressive connection in Flowers’ voice, even if the lyrics leave a few things, mainly insight, to be desired.
But, maybe it isn’t the lyrics that mark popularity for the Las Vegas band, who have never really gathered any of their success from overly complicated verses.
And the album shouldn’t be categorized as awful, or even as bad. It is, in essence, a Killers album, which often suffers a few critic blows prior to the foot-tapping, lyric-chanting enthusiasm that follows one of their songs climbing the charts. If anything, it should be acknowledged that after an extended hiatus the band has actually attempted to redefine their somewhat indie-meets-pop-style in attempt for a more rock-infused compilation that even incorporates choir contributions in a few its tracks.
This change may be accredited to the band’s expansion in writing credibility; Battle Born attributes three songs to outside influences, which is a first for the band.
Despite the unexpected change, the album is worth a listen and if the single “Runaways” find its way into your iTunes library, it may only be three or four listens before you find yourself mindlessly humming along.
