Five years on from the release of Battle Born, The Killers are back with their highly anticipated fifth album Wonderful Wonderful. With a plethora of iconic hits and critically acclaimed albums already under their belts, paired with a lengthy hiatus, Wonderful Wonderful could have all too easily served as an underwhelming or disappointing return for the band. Fortunately, they didn’t make us wait half a decade for something less than exceptional.
The Killers have managed to walk the very fine line of producing a new record which doesn’t deviate too far from the sound that earnt them their success while still introducing something new and exciting. The album features an obvious level of experimentation, though it comes across as organic and exploratory rather than a desperate attempt to stay relevant, something which many great bands have fallen victim to with their ‘comeback’ records.
In the leadup to the release of Wonderful Wonderful, frontman Brandon Flowers hinted that the album would see The Killers exploring a heavier sound than what we’ve seen from them in the past, both sonically and lyrically. This is immediately evident on tracks such as The Calling which sees the band introducing elements of rock in a way unlike anything we have previously heard from them.
At face value, Wonderful Wondeful provides The Killers’ signature sound of poppy, post punk, synth-infused melodies accompanied by Flowers’ flawless vocals, though it’s depth makes it the kind of album you’ll be enticed to play on repeat for a week in order to unpack every word and beat. Be it sampling music by Brian Eno in Some Kind Of Love, an emotional track which details Flowers’ wife’s struggle with PTSD, referencing Mike Tyson’s notorious 1990 defeat in Tyson vs. Douglas, ortaking ruthless stabs at Trump and religion in Run For Cover and The Calling respectively, the albums is clever, poetic, and impeccably well-devised.
The Killers have perfected the art of cohesion, with the album rising and falling in all the right places, as high energy jams such as The Man and Run For Cover are contrasted by evocative ballads like Have All The Songs Been Written. Rather than releasing an album for the sake of putting out music, Wonderful Wonderful oozes intention, there are no filler songs, boring melodies or lazy lyrics – every detail of the record has been taken into consideration.
But most importantly, Wonderful Wonderful delivers every morsel of that indescribable magic The Killers’ past albums have held. Listening to this album felt like hearing Hot Fuss or Sam’s Town for the first time, it is genuinely exciting to listen to and you just know it’s going to make some serious waves.
