Too much pop, not enough snap, crackle

On Day & Age, The Killers have perfected the sound that made them so popular in the first place. Their newest release makes 2006’s Sam’s Town look like a scrappy, thrown-together album released under pressure due to their great success from their debut Hot Fuss. 

Here the band seem to have found a new direction and just gone with it. They have experimented with a combination of the Springsteen-riffed rock of Sam’s Town and the new-wave lush of Hot Fuss, in addition to adding several new sounds.

The Killers have also compromised a bit, turning down the epic, surreal, anthem-esque vibe down a notch. “I Can’t Stay” does not utilize the electric guitar once and makes up for it with maracas and a soloing sax. 

It is easy to see that this album has been put together well, but it’s hard not to miss the rock ’n’ roll build-up present on tracks like Hot Fuss’ “All These Things That I’ve Done.”

Don’t get me wrong, the most familiar-sounding lead single “Human” is a great song, but I can’t rock out to it in my car. Instead, Day & Age brings a lot of sloppy pop music that will be popular, but it’s not as good as The Killers’ previous efforts.

Opening track “Losing Touch” starts the album off  right and is probably the least bizarre track lyrically. This one of the only tracks that could be labeled as anything close to rock, and the one that will stick with me for an extended period of time.

“This Is Your Life” is also worth a listen. The introduction to the song is looped recordings of weird vocals that sort of remind me of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which is cool, right? 

Day & Age is a well-produced album that branches off from The Killers’ typical style while still incorporating elements from their past. But when it all comes together, the result is hit and miss, and ultimately disappointing.