Album Review: Sam’s Town

Like its predecessor, the Killers’ second album, Sam’s Town, is packed with poppy and powerful rock tunes. Unlike its predecessor, however, Sam’s Town’s tremendous ambition all too often becomes its own downfall. Released in late 2006, Sam’s Town tells a tale of a dream which is bred from so many shortcomings and ends with ambiguous triumph over an abyss of a hometown. In short, Sam’s Town is a rough concept album moored by the occasional hollow tune but redeemed by the Killers’ characteristic pop that is still unmatched.

The LP begins with the dazzling yet gritty eponymous track, “Sam’s Town.” From there it works through a Springsteen-esque heartland style with the ever-electrifying “When You Were Young” and the flashy “Bling (Confession of a King).” The bulk of the album’s midsection ranges from passionate, almost ballad-like crescendos (“For Reasons Unknown,” “Read My Mind”) to visceral reflections (“Uncle Jonny”). Then the band drops “Bones” on you – a ditsy track which unfortunately became a single and just tries too hard at being a legitimate expression of pain. “My List” immediately picks up the pieces left behind by “Bones.” While it starts off painfully slow, the song contains intriguing hooks and a powerful performance by vocalist Brandon Flowers. As miraculously as its beginning, the final three tracks polish off whatever dirt that’s left along the cracks. First you get “This River Is Wild,” an underappreciated track which matches the intensity of the comparatively more popular “When You Were Young.” Then you get the penultimate track, “Why Do I Keep Counting?” Like “My List,” its instrumental beginning is decent if not completely boring, but the rest of the song wholly makes up for the song’s start. And to finish it off, “Exitlude” ends the album in a grandiose and oddly sentimental tone.

Altogether, Sam’s Town has no lack of excellence with regards to the individual band members. The main issue with Sam’s Town is that a few of its songs either failed to achieve their intended purpose or cannot withstand several listenings without becoming irritating. Apart from that, Sam’s Town is certainly one of the most underrated albums of the past years – a seemingly weird remark, but you just have to give it a thorough listen.