03/10/09 - Island, Vertigo Records

When it comes to looking at an album of recent time that flipped worlds right-side up, it has to come from The Killers. They may have released some stonking, club classics in the forms of Mr Brightside and All Those Things That I’ve Done, but it’s their difficult second album that deserves the spotlight: Sam’s Town.

From the very get-go, The Killers’ second offering kicks off with a bang and doesn’t make any attempt to let up. The album arguably begins with it’s greatest track, as 'Sam’s Town' slowly creeps in, beautifully weaving it’s initial organ play into a wild flurry of guitar, before exploding in pounding rock bliss as Brandon Flowers crows “why do you waste my time?” The tune softens with Beatles-esque chants before elegantly winding down.

With such a hard act to follow, you’d be forgiven for thinking The Killers had shot themselves in the foot from the off. You would of course be wrong.

After harmonising charmingly on 'Enterlude', the four lads from Las Vegas send rush after rush up your spine as they belt out 'When You Were Young', proving that they had the goods to match their first album all along.

The boys then swoop off to 'Bling (Confessions Of A King)' using the luscious europop synth to lap against Flowers’ screeching vocals (“when I offer you survival, you say it’s hard enough to live”). After such a booming climax comes yet more with 'For Reasons Unknown' and 'Read My Mind' before landing on the riff-laden 'Uncle Jonny'; a sad ode to a man who has convinced himself that the drugs do work. Flowers’ triumphant voice reaches new heights here, him almost teary-eyed as he whines his refrain to Jonny (“You feel a burning in your body core/It’s a yearning that you can’t ignore”).

Then comes single 'Bones', a marvellous mash of twinkling synth and crunching, indie rock. Layered over a gentle love story, 'Bones' uses harsh percussion, radio-friendly keys and Flowers’ ever-versatile voice to create a fun-packed barn-stormer.

It’s then off to the slow-burning, climactic 'My List', the brash 'This River Is Wild' until arriving at 'Why Do I Keep Counting?'; a sugary-sweet number that explodes in a bout of crashes and races quickly to your heart strings, only to pull them out and play them right in front of your face.

Finally, with a swift grammar change, 'Exitlude' bids you farewell to the chime of classical piano.

Such a triumphant album was Hot Fuss that The Killers had to pull out something pretty spectacular just to keep up with themselves, which is just what they did with Sam’s Town; a delightful concoction of glorious melodies more token of The Arcade Fire, cut with speeding indie rock and europop, all set to orchestral proportions.

The Killers took their tricky second album and tore up the rulebook, conjuring up an incredible twelve-track belter. They hope you enjoy your stay.

Posted In Classic Albums, Sep 17 2009. Words - Rich