The Killers-- the ostentatious and ambitious Las Vegas quartet with enough bravado for the whole music scene follows up their second album Sam's Town, with Day and Age. Fan's of the debut Hot Fuss got hot and heavy when hearing Brandon Flowers and crew had traded in their synth for more guitar and an Americana/Springsteen-esque style. Day and Age is a rebuttal to all those who gave up on The Killers after their departure from new wave. Their latest effort has all the flare and pomp that Hot Fuss contained, and Flowers once again returns to the synth which had treated him so well in the beginning of his career.
The album opens up with the chiming of bells and kicks into full gear with a heavy dose of sax in "Losing Touch." The albums first single "Human" is driven with an aggressive electronic drum beat and chorus which digs deeper and deeper into the brain with each additional listen. "Spaceman" contains the more memorable hook of the album, which unlike "Human", immediately sticks. Despite harping on the fact that Day and Age is more similar to Hot Fuss than Sam’s Town, the theme of Sam’s Town isn’t completely lost, and remnants of Americana are shown in "Dustland Fairytale", a song that closes with a dramatic and epic conclusion.
Flowers displays his vocal virtuosity in both "This Is Your Life" and "I Can’t Stay". "This Is Your Life" is an emotional and uplifting tale of perseverance with Flowers channeling his inner Bono. "I Can’t Stay" shows that while Flowers vocals may be flawed, he is in complete control and purveys every feeling that’s required.
"Goodnight, Travel Well" goes the cliche route of trying to deliver an epic and melodramatic conclusion to an album. At first it appears they fail miserably-- that is until the song hits its crescendo and delivers an emotional and moving finale.
Day and Age sounds like Hot Fuss taken off the dance floor and into the concert hall. Day and Age lacks the killer hooks of "Mr. Brightside" but delivers in aspects Hot Fuss was missing. The emotional bonds are stronger, and as a whole the album is tighter. My biggest fear is wearing out this album with so many continuous listens that I may no longer consider it as one of the best albums released in 2008.
The album opens up with the chiming of bells and kicks into full gear with a heavy dose of sax in "Losing Touch." The albums first single "Human" is driven with an aggressive electronic drum beat and chorus which digs deeper and deeper into the brain with each additional listen. "Spaceman" contains the more memorable hook of the album, which unlike "Human", immediately sticks. Despite harping on the fact that Day and Age is more similar to Hot Fuss than Sam’s Town, the theme of Sam’s Town isn’t completely lost, and remnants of Americana are shown in "Dustland Fairytale", a song that closes with a dramatic and epic conclusion.
Flowers displays his vocal virtuosity in both "This Is Your Life" and "I Can’t Stay". "This Is Your Life" is an emotional and uplifting tale of perseverance with Flowers channeling his inner Bono. "I Can’t Stay" shows that while Flowers vocals may be flawed, he is in complete control and purveys every feeling that’s required.
"Goodnight, Travel Well" goes the cliche route of trying to deliver an epic and melodramatic conclusion to an album. At first it appears they fail miserably-- that is until the song hits its crescendo and delivers an emotional and moving finale.
Day and Age sounds like Hot Fuss taken off the dance floor and into the concert hall. Day and Age lacks the killer hooks of "Mr. Brightside" but delivers in aspects Hot Fuss was missing. The emotional bonds are stronger, and as a whole the album is tighter. My biggest fear is wearing out this album with so many continuous listens that I may no longer consider it as one of the best albums released in 2008.
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