IN REVIEW: The Killers - "Imploding the Mirage"

 

When The Killers burst onto the scene a little over fifteen years ago, peddling their synth-heavy '80s rock revival by way of multi-platinum smash Hot Fuss, a lot of folks figured the success the result of a fad. When their follow-up (Sam's Town, which I personally enjoyed more) sold half, those folks seemed like they were onto something. When sales of 2008's Day & Age were half of that again, a lot of folks assumed The Killers were pretty much finished. To their credit, they soldiered on with a fourth record (Battle Born, which sold half yet again) four years later, and then a fifth five years after that (2017's Wonderful, Wonderful), which... you guessed it, sold half again.

Still, a big hit in the age of the internet goes a long way. That triple platinum debut album spawned Mr. Brightside, not just the band's most enduring hit but in fact one of the most enduring hits by anyone ever; sixteen years after its release, it's still universally loved, closing in on a billion Spotify streams while its official music video has about three times as many views as its closest competitor in the band's playlist. So as to say, when you craft something as massive and timeless as Mr. Brightside, people will pay attention even after you release a trio of albums over the course of nearly a decade that sell a combined third of what your first record did.

So how's this for daunting? Your band has become the textbook definition of diminishing returns; sales are a fraction of what they once were, critics are increasingly dismissive of your work, and even your band is smaller than it used to be (founding guitarist Dave Keuning, while still officially a member of The Killers, has been on hiatus from the band since 2017 and did not participate in the making of the new album). Oh, and no pressure, but a global pandemic is going to delay the release of your new album by months and put your touring plans on indefinite hiatus. 

That's all terrible luck for The Killers, because their new album absolutely slaps.

Whereas Hot Fuss crackled with the neon-lit energy of '80s Vegas and Sam's Town dealt in hazy, Springsteen-indebted hangovers, their sixth album mashes both styles up and throws in some big time stadium bombast for good measure; it sounds sort of like what may have happened if The Boss had followed up Born in the USA with Tunnel of Love just like in reality, only with a lot more influence from Meat Loaf (and trust me, that's more of a compliment than it seems). There's plenty of glossy, loud anthems but also maturity and heart; it grows a little too big for its britches in places, but also contains some incredible down-to-earth moments. It's also arguably the most upbeat album the group has ever released, with much of the sleepier arrangements put out to pasture in favour of wide open tempos and more flavourful arrangements. There are also guest appearances from k.d. lang, Weyes Blood and Lindsey Buckingham, in case you need another reason or three to be intrigued.

Of course, you might have preemptively written Imploding the Mirage off after so many years of disappointment as a sad and desperate attempt to recapture old glories by a band that can't pull off those big hits anymore. There's just one problem; they can, and they did.

August 21, 2020 • Island

Highlights Dying Breed • Caution • Running Towards a Place