For the Record

Author: Melissa Marshall

Las Vegas: shiny lights, scantily-clad women and excess. New Jersey: flat landscapes, industrial towns and weary diners. The Killers: part 80s new wave, part new-millennium post-punk and one hundred percent androgynous synth-rock for the suburbanite Caucasian masses. Bruce Springsteen: gritty vocals and stripped guitar riffs fused among blues rhythms matched by a coal miner mixed with mechanic sex-appeal. There may be over 2500 miles dividing Las Vegas and Asbury Park, and more than thirty years separating the Boss's sophomore attempt with that of The Killers', but spatial discrepancies did not deter Brandon Flowers from wiping off the eyeliner and molding Sam's Town in the Mid-Atlantic tradition.

In their October 2006 release, The Killers decided that they want to be taken seriously. And the most effective way to accomplish this? By growing facial hair, of course! Long gone are the fitted suits, styled hair and boyish charm sported by the foursome dubbed by critics as the ushers of a new era of alternative rock. Mr. Brightside and all the retro-glamour which he embodied has been effectively burnt out by Flowers' coarser vocals and somber melodies.

The title of their new album is indicative of this change of heart. Sam's Town is christened after a casino in their hometown of Vegas. However, it's not one of the glitzy, commercial giants typical to Sin City, but instead a dive located on the outskirts of the neon oasis in the desert. And just like the cover of Hot Fuss features a city skyline that conjures notions of synthetic beats and quick tempos, Sam's Town portrays a world-worn beauty queen shot in the grainy, artful, Anton Corbjin photography style that graces the rest of the CD booklet. So what inspired The Killers to place The Cure and Duran Duran records back on the shelf next to their make-up and move on to a more grounded sound?

Realistically speaking, if the quartet from The Strip released Hot Fuss Part Deux, featuring the same catchy pop hooks and shallow subject matter, the critics would have Joan of Arc-ified pretty boy Flowers. In an attempt to create a more mature-sounding album, Sam's Town emulates Springsteen and U2. However, though they successfully alienate the post-punk fan base that catapulted them to the covers of Spin and Q, they also fail to convince the more skeptical listeners of heartland rock to which Sam's Town tries to appeal. It's not that the tracks featured on Sam's Town aren't pleasing to the ears, it's just that The Killers don't possess the same level of musicianship as the E Street Band and Brandon Flowers can't match the intensity that seems to simply exude from the Boss's vocal style and presence.

The first single off the October release, "When You Were Young," is in the tradition of "Thunder Road" while "This River is Wild" is reminiscent of Springsteen's "The River" - complete with a reference to Bruce's muse Mary. The allusions continue in full force in the construction of their narrative lyrics and mentioning of "the promised land." While imitation is the highest form of flattery, it seems that the whole point of a more defined sophomore attempt is to establish a band as veritable creative craftsmen. Sam's Town, however, is less of a growth spurt and more like boys clumsily trying to walk in their father's three-sizes-too-large work boots. So, not surprisingly, my favorite track off their new album is "Uncle Jonny," which showcases Flowers' distinctive high-pitched vocals and the band's sexy, driving rhythms which were prevalent on such former stand-out releases as "Somebody Told Me" and "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine."

With Sam's Town, The Killers try to cement themselves as the next generation of American bards. Regrettably, their lyrics fall short of profound and their melodies just miss memorable. What they have succeeded in accomplishing is creating another quintessential Vegas album - on the surface, well constructed and alluring, but underneath the beguiling beats it completely lacks substance.