The Killers: Battle Born
Details
Pros:
Smart assortment of effective arena-rock and '80's pop-rock glitzCons:
One out-of-place track, but nothing to seriously pout aboutColdplay with edge: Flowers and the Killers return with familiarity and more
Coldplay with edge: Flowers and the Killers return with familiarity and more
With an overwhelming four-year hiatus and a self-indulgent solo record from frontman Brandon Flowers (Flamingo) now behind them, the Killers have returned back to their work ethic – with Flowers, of course. Well worth the wait, since the band fires up a glowing mix of magical arena-rock dipped in grandiose Springsteen rawness, Coldplay sing-a-long choruses and ‘80’s rock sensibilities. The album opener, “Flesh and Bone,” sonically familiarizes the listener to “When You Were Young” until it walks into a trippy bridge highlighting a Ray Manzarek-like organ and tempo shift. It’s a pleasant opener full of innovation and pride, but the album’s bundle of gems quickly overtakes everything heard on the album’s first three minutes. “Runaways,” the album’s first single of choice, soars as its tale tries to makes sense of a young couple’s reckless rash of judgment: “We got engaged on a Friday night/I swore on the head of our unborn child/That I could take care of the three of us/But I’ve got the tendency to slip when the nights get wild.” And there’s more: “The Way It Was” shimmers like a Journey ‘80’s anthem; the H&O-spiced “Here With Me” pours on the romance; “Deadlines and Commitments” transforms into a synth heaven; “Miss Atomic Bomb” dances like U2 opera. Much of the second half is regulated to cool alt-rock jams and dreamy New Wave experiments, leaving Flowers ample room to soar vocally where there’s empty spaces. Some of those tracks aren’t entirely flattering (“The Rising Tide” copies the magic, but comes across as a mimicked Rod Stewart “Young Turks.”), but the Phil Collins dreamy balladry of “Be Still” and the bonus track of “Carry Me Home” certainly make up for lost moments. Much of the album’s likability surrounds its smart choice of rock producers – Steve Lillywhite, Brendan O’Brien and Daniel Lanois – who help give the Killers a boost of pop-rock without sacrificing their own identity.
