The Killers are inherently a nostalgia-loving band, and their latest album, Wonderful Wonderful, is no exception. Their fifth studio release is more of a return to the sound of The Killers we have known and loved for years, while still being a more mature record. Lead singer, Brandon Flowers, has said recently that he wants to act his age. While this is a worthy goal of any band that has been around as long as The Killers, they have always been a theatrical group, which meant that this album had a lot to live up to.
Although Wonderful Wonderful harkens back to older Killers' songs and the band made a clear choice to distance themselves from their last album, Battle Born, I actually thought that was an underrated record that was certainly a huge improvement as the follow up to Day & Age. Wonderful Wonderful uses some of the same experimentation, but I find it to be more accessible music.
Arguably, this is not the band's strongest record and it feels less cohesive than Battle Born, but it's a solid effort. The lead single, "The Man," is bombastic and full of the swagger The Killers are known for. To me, it seems like a clear tie-in to their Las Vegas roots. "Run for Cover" capitalizes on the political climate in 2017, which falls a little flat and reads as somewhat disingenuous. But ultimately, this band is staying true to themselves and the record is worth a listen.
