The Killers - Sam's Town

Sam's Town is The Killers second album and it holds a special place in my heart as the album I was listening to in late 2006: when I got my first job and was looking forward to buying the Wii. I'd compare this album to a second date: you realize that your new crush has flaws you hadn't noticed the first time around, but you're just that much more endeared. And flustered. And optimistic for the future. The band goes for a more rock-oriented approach, leaving behind much of the glam/disco undertones of the previous album. It's not as endearing as their debut showing, but its nonetheless, a thrilling ride. It instead showcases the growth of a more mature band moving forward musically. Flowers' voice is much rawer and emotional here, not buried under layers of modulation, and the band's sound is more vibrant and diverse. The band notes that this record was influenced by Springsteen, but this album does not have much of a Springsteen sound, at least, none that I caught.

The addictive opening track "Sam's Town" has the same punch rhythmically as "Somebody Told Me" from the first album, but is less reliant on synths and more on electric guitar. The piano-based "Interlude" showcases a softer sound with Brandon Flowers' voice fragile and emotional before it amps up and punches into the rocking first single "When You Were Young." Despite its title, the soaring "Bling(Confession of a King) has shades of the late 80's U2 musically but Flowers can't quite match Bono's vocal style. "For Reasons Unknown" and "Read My Mind" delivers a synth-heavy up-tempo sound that is somewhat reminiscent of the early 80's Talking Heads.

Grounded by a solid bass line, "Uncle Jonny" makes for a great track that thankfully is not overly commercial. Flowers' takes his vocals down a notch for the excellent "Bones" decorated with some great trumpet and sax. The sound of Queen returns with the bombastic track "My List" and "This River Is Wild" is hook-filled and rocking enough to make this a solid second single. "Exitlude" is a nice touch that speaks to the fans, "We hope you enjoyed your stay..it's good to have you with us, even if it was only a day." I do have some misgivings about the way the album was recorded. Unlike the band's stunning debut, there are some songs on Sam's Town that I will outright skip as the song tries too hard or they just don't work for me ("Why Do I Keep Counting" is the only song to really cover those two comments). And there are some noticeable pitch problems with the vocals--baffling on a major-label, Flood-produced album. But all in all, Sam's Town is a great album and while it may not be their best work, it will grow on you with every spin.