The Las Vegas rockers are back with a heartfelt fifth album
In a recent interview with NME, Brandon Flowers commented on the title of The Killers’ new album: «I was in the desert» he said «there was a storm coming and I thought: “Wonderful Wonderful”.»
The album was released on September 22 and yes, it’s about “the quiet before the storm”, but it’s also about the storm the frontman has gone through in the last five years.
The Killers have released The Man as their first single, but the song is deceiving: it recalls the bold, cocky debut of the band. The rest of the album is a long heartfelt journal of Flowers’ recent personal experiences.
U2 are a huge influence on this record: the title track will remind you of the Achtung Baby-era and Life to Come is reminiscent of epic arena tracks from the Irish rock band. Both songs are about Flowers’ life: the first one is about his wife, Tana, and her ongoing battle with PTSD; the second is a reflection on the meaning of marriage, which is seen as a bond that continues in the hereafter.
There’s some beautiful Springsteen urgency in Run for Cover as the singer condemns Trump’s America while in Tyson vs. Douglas he admits his fear, as an artist, to be knocked down like Mike Tyson was during an unforgettable Tokyo match in 1990.
The Killers hired actor Woody Harrelson to introduce The Calling: the song is a sort of Vegas-version of Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus, mixing up religious themes, 80s echoes and a hint of Elvis Presley. In Have All The Songs Been Written? Flowers talks about his writer’s block and the long journey to this album.
The deluxe edition includes Money on Straight, an impressive bonus track: the song is about a father teaching his son to use a gun. The scene is the representation of some American deeply-rooted values which Flowers feels impossible to change (I admit I don’t understand how this all started/But I know it’s gotten out of hand).
The entire album seems to have a central idea: to fight some battles, all you need is courage and you’ll find it in a place of vulnerability. So the real bravery is being fragile: this is Wonderful Wonderful. A good reason to say it twice.
