CD review: The Killers - 'Day & Age'

November 24, 2:40 PMChicago Rock Music ExaminerFrank Krolicki

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While the first two albums by The Killers made it clear that the Las Vegas-bred act had a knack for writing strong hit singles, the projects sounded a bit too much like the works of a band trying too hard to be popular. 2004's "Hot Fuss" gave off an icy, calculated-for-mass-appeal vibe, while its follow-up, the 2006 concept record "Sam's Town," was at times overblown in its themes and arrangements. Despite their faults, the albums boasted surefire hits and became international smashes, which posed a question: Was there any way but down for The Killers?

The band's new LP, "Day & Age," answers that question with a resounding "yes."

The album finally finds frontman Brandon Flowers and the rest of the band stripping away a good portion of the pretense that previously made it difficult to fully embrace them as a genuinely great, sincere band. The result is a warmer, more laidback pop album that coolly invites you into its world instead of overextending itself and begging for your attention.

That's not to say the band's cockiness is completely gone. Only Flowers would have enough confidence to ask a line as goofy and nonsensical as "Are we human, or are we dancer?" in the album's first single, the poppy, synth-laden "Human." If it weren't sung with complete conviction it might fall flat, but somehow The Killers deliver it as unabashed, irresistible musical candy.

The rest of the album follows suit. For as much as Flowers and company have touted rock icons such as Morrissey, The Cure, Blondie, Springsteen and David Bowie as influences from the start, "Day & Age" finds them using their heroes to their advantage more than on either previous LP. If "Sam's Town" dripped with Springsteen to the point where it could sometimes be hard to take seriously, the new record presents its inspiration more tastefully. The catchy, mid-tempo opening track, "Losing Touch," hints at Bowie without overdoing it. Elsewhere, the band has employed a Blondie-esque sense of adventure by dabbling in a range of sounds such as Caribbean-flavored pop ("I Can't Stay") and new wave disco ("Joy Ride"), but never comes across as dependent on another artist's body of work.

It's not only more adventurous songwriting that gives "Day & Age" a more distinctive sound - it's just as much a result of production by Stuart Price (Madonna, Gwen Stefani). The poppy, synthy production actually works in the band's favor, helping to move them further away from the sound of a band taking itself too seriously to more the sound of a band simply having fun. The album's second single, "Spaceman," for example, could have been a paint-by-numbers Killers rocker a la "Mr. Brightside," but it's made more interesting with a bubbling electro sheen.

If it's true that third albums are the true test of staying power, The Killers have proved they have much more to offer than some might have thought. With "Day & Age" the band has hit their stride, and for the first time they don't sound overly concerned with whether or not you care.

The Killers will play the UIC Pavilion on Tuesday, January 20. Limited seats are available. Click here for more information.