A hit-and-miss Killer effort

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Barry C Chung
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Barry C Chung |
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No one was killed in the making of this album. At least, not that I know of. Solo efforts by frontman Brandon Flowers and bassist Mark Stoermer did temporarily "kill" the band, forcing The Killers into a hiatus. Four years on, the four Las Vegans make their long-awaited return with Battle Born.

Opener Flesh and Bone is a dreamy pop-rock track with heavy synths. Whatever's left of The Killers' indie sensibility is gone here, which is also a telling intro of what's to come.

I'm not sure if it's worth the extra HK$50 for the deluxe edition, but the Flesh and Bone remix by Jacques Lu Cont and Prize Fighter are real gems. The latter opens with the "ding, ding, ding" of a boxing bell, which is no doubt unnecessary, and there are some cheesy lyrics as Flowers professes his love for a woman. "[The queen] is gonna fly to England/ Put that sword on her shoulder / And knight her!" he croons. A bit dramatic, but it's still a great track that should've been available on the regular release.

Slower-paced tracks Deadlines and Commitments and The Way It Was allow Flowers to show off his unusual vocals.

The band's fourth album isn't a killer, but it should keep fans satisfied for a while.

YP Rating: 3/5



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