Album Review: The Killers - Wonderful Wonderful

Being a band as iconic in recent rock history as The Killers comes with great expectation when releasing new music, but drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr, bassist Mark Stoermer, guitarist Dave Keuning and charismatic frontman Brandon Flowers seem to exceed expectations every time - as is the case with their fifth studio album Wonderful Wonderful.

Sonically, the album features a lot of rich, warm synth textures enhancing songs like the heavy, emotional Some Kind Of Love, the fast-paced drive of Run For Cover, and catchily repetitive Out Of My Mind. Funk infused The Man is the feel-good album highlight - it's retro and upbeat, though Flower's confidence does (no doubt purposefully) border on arrogance. In contrast, sombre closer Have All The Songs Been Written? is a bit of a deep, poetic, ballad.

Lyrically, Flowers explores dealing with growing up and looking back on childhood through that new adult lens, referencing watching Buster Douglas knock out an undefeated Mike Tyson in on Tyson Vs Douglas, which opens by sampling audio from the legendary 1990 fight.

Wonderful Wonderful is supposed to be The Killers 'grown up' album - and it is. It's personal, authentic, and reveals a maturity they haven't shown before.