The Killers - Sam's Town
(2006)

Review by Ian Melly

It's a strange thing the music industry. It thrives on arrogance and self-belief, but then again - most of the greatest songs ever written also thrive on the insecurity and internal struggles of those very same arrogant prats.

But, I think we have to make a special mention of one of modern music's greatest arrogant tools (move over Gallagher brothers!), ladies and gentlemen - put your barely impressed hands together for The Killer's lead singer Brandon Flowers. *muted applause*

But more on the Flower later. The Killers is a band that shot to fame in 2004 with their debut album "Hot Fuss" (which has sold more than 3 million copies in the US alone) and now their newest album "Sam's Town" is hitting the shelves as we speak.

I've got to admit, I really didn't mind the first album. If I recall correctly, I bought it immediately after overhearing it playing at a CD store a good few months prior to the Mr Brightside Boom. Admittedly the enjoyment factor came to a screeching hault by about Track 8, but there was more than enough to warrant a purchase. So the question that needs to be asked is this: is the sophomore album any good? Should we all rush out and buy the album before it becomes passé?

The first Australian single from "Sam's Town", When You Were Young, is pretty much all you could ask for really - it's catchy, still has that classic Killers sound and goes down a treat while driving with the stereo maxxed out. So, admittedly, expectations were relatively high for the follow up - not helped by the fact that Brandon Flowers was recently quoted saying that "Sam's Town" is 'the best album in the past twenty years'.

News flash Brandon...it's not. In fact, he'll be lucky to be granted 'The best album since Nikki Webster's Greatest Hits'.

It's not that bad, it really isn't. There are some catchy tunes scattered across the record including For Reason's Unknown and Read My Mind. But ultimately, there's just nothing that seems to jump out and grab you like Jenny Was A Friend Of Mind or All These Things That I've Done did on "Hot Fuss". 

Granted, the Special Edition release includes a bonus track, but if anything it seems to prolong an album you're already getting sick of...

I read in another review of this album that your first reaction upon hearing "Sam's Town" will be that you will be 'grossly underwhelmed during the first listen', but that it 'improves' with each listen [sounds more like record label brown nosing to me - Ed]. If anything, you'll notice that lead singer Flowers is making an extra effort to try and change his vocals to sound a bit more flighty, like The Cure, even though his vocals on "Hot Fuss" were pretty spot on, and original to boot. Furthermore, each subsequent song seems to blend into the next without ever jerking your head upright as one of the greatest albums of the last 20 years probably should.

But who am I to complain - the album sold over 700,000 copies worldwide in the first week of release, with a No. 2 debut on the United World chart - so it seems the punters have already spoken.

"Sam's Town" is another example of the dangers of a big debut success, and could very well be one of those situations in which we don't hear from a band again. They do have the potential - but perhaps Flowers should spend less time talking the album up and more time actually getting it well written next time.

RATING: 2.5 out of 5