The Killers latest effort avoids easy classification.
Don’t get me wrong; this is pop music at its core. The Killers separate themselves from the armies of bands in the world by creating complex and multi-layered tapestries of sound. No strum heavy sing-a-longs hide beneath the shimmer and shine of this glossy, candy pop shell.
This is serious music.
The Good
The almost happy, upbeat music contrasts with dark and sometimes depressing (in a good way) lyrics. The words paint visual images at times, while other times they hide in ambiguity. The melodies stand out as the real star. Not only the melodies coming from singer/keyboardist Brandon Flowers, but waves of melody flow from seemingly every direction.
The band plays concise, tight patterns that weave together a whole greater than the sum of its parts.
“A Dustland Fairytales” serves as the centerpiece. The word “epic” jumps to mind. A lonely piano disappears beneath layers of staccato stabs of guitar, bass and drums. The song expands and swells until it explodes.
The Bad
The strength of the melodies carries the album, but some flaws jump out.
A vanilla quality permeates. Many songs sound the same. “Human,” the first single, suffers from lyrics that border on silly. “Joy Ride” begins with an interesting world music beat only to descend into a slinky Duran Duran feel (not in a good way).
Little noises and bleeps of gadgetry abound, and it all begins to sound like white noise after a while.
The Verdict
I wouldn’t go so far to say “album of the year,” but I would throw it into consideration. The good far outshines the bad and the band should be commended for almost always reaching for a big, epic sound. Flowers stands as a formidable front man, and the different styles and textures the band uses fall far from the realm of sugary pop fare.
The first listen does not do these songs justice. They get stronger with each listen. The album is not perfect, but it is pretty close.
GRADE: B+