Killers - Battle Born

[York Minster]

Bought the new Killers album today. I'm up to track 9 on my first listen and it's pretty good so far. Production is nice. Has more synths that I was expecting. The Killers have this ability to teeter on making music I wouldn't ever listen to, and yet, they keep it in this cultural wish-wash land. The allmusic review where they say it's the aesthetics of 1983 mixed with the roots rock of 1989 isn't a bad way of putting it. Opinions and thoughts on the new album or Killers in general?

I got the album at Best Buy. They had NO Pet Shop Boys in stock. One copy of deluxe Tomorrow's World though. Then went shopping at Walmart (that's right) and they not only had no PSB (not a surpise) but no Killers.

[Palpatine]

Wal-Mart never ever has PSB.

Haven't listened to Battle Born yet. I'll give it a shot.

[whateverman42]

If you take away all the Blade Runner imagery they've surrounded this album with, it sounds just like their last two. I think they're regressing and the sound they're recognizable by is tired. Coldplay is in a similar spot as well, Mylo Xyloto wasn't a huge leap forward, though they're a much better band than The Killers. Nevertheless both are beginning to seem incapable of the 'Joshua Tree - Achtung Baby' shift to do something totally different, but just as amazing. The lack of variety will stunt their career I think, and they won't reach U2 status.

[Eldritch]

If you take away all the Blade Runner imagery they've surrounded this album with, it sounds just like their last two. I think they're regressing and the sound they're recognizable by is tired. Coldplay is in a similar spot as well, Mylo Xyloto wasn't a huge leap forward, though they're a much better band than The Killers. Nevertheless both are beginning to seem incapable of the 'Joshua Tree - Achtung Baby' shift to do something totally different, but just as amazing. The lack of variety will stunt their career I think, and they won't reach U2 status.

I couldn't disagree more. Sam's Town and Day & Age were totally different albums sound-wise, the first being full of prairie guitars and the latter being very synth-heavy and experimenting with saxophones, calypso and lounge. The new album sounds like an amalgam of their first three albums, which is probably due to them trying to regain their ground after a lengthy hiatus, but it still beats the truly dreadful Mylo Xyloto. Flesh And Bone, Miss Atomic Bomb, Deadlines And Commitments, Be Still and Carry Me Home are all wonderful tracks.

[transforce]

Loving the Jacques lu Cont remix of Flesh and Bone.