PRINTSound Advice: The Killers
Courtesy of Island Records
January 11, 2009 | 9:43 p.m. CST
First impressions are everything. Well, usually. Fortunately for the The Killers, the first run-through of Day and Age can be misleading. In fact, the band’s third album acts as an exception because it gets better with each additional listen. The album gradually makes a decent impression, but all the run-throughs in the world couldn’t make it a hit.
Due to lame lyrics such as “are we human / or are we dancer?” in “Human” and an intense ’80s-inspired beat, the tracks are corny and retro almost to the point of overkill. But after listening to the album a few times, the music begins to make sense and becomes more appealing. The album might elicit a better reaction after multiple listens, but it still doesn’t meet the expectations set by the band’s former hits.
The songs become listenable eventually, but some never quite make it over to the bright side. “This Is Your Life” is eerily reminiscent of the opening scene of The Lion King. From the jungle-themed instrumental breaks to the African-sounding chants, the band blurs the line between inspiration and plagiarism. And if it doesn’t sound like something out of a Disney movie, it’s either boring and borderline depressing (“The World We Live In”) or a tropical bundle of jazzy confusion (“Joy Ride”). What happened to the upbeat, dance-invoking band from 2004?
On a better note, a few of the songs are catchy. “Spaceman” and “A Dustland Fairytale” are perfect for old-fashioned sing-alongs and are similar to “Mr. Brightside” and “Somebody Told Me.” Although the entire album isn’t a bust, there are more lows than highs this time around.
The vocals are as charming and soothing as ever, but they often drown in odd lyrics and overbearing background music. For their next album, someone should let The Killers know that the ’80s are over and the rest of the world has moved on to the new millenium. Maybe if it were still that infamous decade, Day and Age would be more appealing. As it stands, it’s 2008, and The Killers need to update their dated sound so that the band’s talents outshine its own decade-inspired tunes.
Vox Rating:
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