The Killers - Wonderful Wonderful (September 30, 2017) Album • Page 12

airik625 · Sep 21, 2017

Won't have time to give this a proper listen until this weekend, but I'm growing very anxious.

Craig Manning · Sep 21, 2017

Barresi said:

Just some thoughts really quick, if you guys will indulge me taking a stab at the themes of the album.

I think this is arguably their most cohesive album right off the bat, which I'm really excited about. There's no filler, there's no track that sticks out like a sore thumb. They have a pretty great collection of songs here, and thematically it remains entirely focused.

The album can pretty much be divided into two intertwining themes: the main focus being Brandon's wife and her struggle with depression and PTSD, and the underlying theme being Brandon's own struggle in coming to terms with what it means to be a man as a result of that. I think the title track does a great job of establishing a sense of place for the rest of the songs. Meanwhile, "The Man" serves as a starting point as well: shallow expectations of what a man should be, which will continue to be broken down as the record goes on.

My favorite one-two punch of the record is "Rut" and "Life to Come," the former being told from Tana Flowers' perspective, and the latter from Brandon's. "Rut" shines a light on the daily struggles of depression, and the seemingly impossible task of climbing never-ending walls. There's a lot to unpack in this song: it's a declaration of strength, but also a recognition of the need for help. "Life to Come" serves as an answer to "Rut," assuring that the narrator of the previous track isn't alone in the struggle. It's something really intimate made ridiculously huge, in that way the Killers do better than anyone.

"Run for Cover" and "Tyson vs. Douglas" return to the underlying theme, with images of impeccable masculinity continuing to come undone. From cheating senators to fallen heroes, this is Flowers' recognition of something gone awry in masculine idol worship. For all the chest-puffing and bravado, these men are still as capable of failure as any. "Tyson vs. Douglas" brings both of these tracks back to Flowers' familial dilemma in its bridge, addressing his own anxiety about failing in front of his children. However, this track also presents a question of what that failure would be: falling from grace as one of the biggest rock stars on the planet, or simply as failing in his role as a family man?

"Some Kind of Love" is lovely. I don't know how much I would love it outside the context of the album, or not knowing the story behind it. But written as a plea to someone struggling with suicidal thoughts, I think it's great. When Brandon's kid join him in the outro, it's a gut punch. Kind of weird placement, though. I would probably swap it with "Out of My Mind" on the tracklist.

Speaking of, I don't understand how "Out of My Mind" wasn't the second single. I love "Run for Cover" as much as anyone, but this is one of their best straight-up pop songs. In the context of the record, it serves as the meeting point for the two themes at play: the tension felt between a married couple due to both the husband's constant need for external approval, and the wife's apathy and distance as a result of mental health. This is where Brandon Flowers recognizes that his rock star status cannot fix the problems at home, and as much as he'd like to supplant his domestic issues with career success, he can't escape what is actually important to him. "But I don't know if I can stop" is an important line to take away from this one.

"The Calling" is a reckoning of sorts, with a son going after his father after realizing his acts were not what they were purported to be. Though it's pretty clearly a third-person narrative, this ties in with Flowers recognizing his passed down ideas of masculinity weren't impeccable, but in fact toxic and self-serving (love the bit in here where the narrator's two brothers have (barely) survived, but his sister has died). Like the narrator of the story he's spinning here, after having seen what's actually going on underneath the surface, Flowers is going to take a different path. Also, this song is an awesome Depeche Mode mashup, all "Personal Jesus" while the chorus kind of cribs the melody from "Enjoy the Silence." Love it.

The final song, "Have All The Songs Been Written?" once again brings both of the major themes together, with Brandon unsure of his own abilities as a songwriter and a man, but there has been a shift: he's not playing for the fame or the glory anymore, but for his wife. So when he pleas that he only needs "one more" song to get through to her, it's a desperate plea of someone who doesn't know what else he has to offer, other than what he's made a lifetime out of chasing. However useful he may or may not be, he's now committed to being there for his wife through her struggles, not going after what he previously thought would bring him fulfillment. Also, Knopfler kills this track and remains to be a living legend.

With that said, Dave's presence is definitely missed on a great deal of the album. Though there's some great guitar work in there, his mark is an undeniable part of the Killers identity. Regardless, this is a genuinely great album. Wouldn't put it up there with Sam's Town, but I can definitely see it wrestling for that second spot (which is already a bloody battle between Hot Fuss and Battle Born). A much more mature and thoughtful record from the guys, while not surrendering their penchant for making tracks just absurdly huge. They're aging gracefully.

Edit: Almost forgot to mention, Jacknife Lee. What a blessing for this band. The production is just insane, especially on "Out of My Mind" and "The Calling." He did an amazing job.

Wanted to say that this is the best thing I've read about this album anywhere and that you seem to "get" it a lot more than just about any critic who has reviewed is so far. A breath of fresh air to read this after listening to the album a few times today and after being disappointed by the dumpster fire that was Steven Hyden's review of it.

Brother Beck · Sep 21, 2017

Yeah, I agree - your quick stab at the themes of the record is hands down the best analysis I've read so far and has me extremely excited to listen to this. Incredible write-up.

Barresi · Sep 21, 2017

Wow, thank you so much guys! Five years is a long time, I've been ready, haha.

Brother Beck · Sep 21, 2017

It's killing me that I can't download the leak and have to wait for the legitimate release. I absolutely love the samples of the songs that I've heard, and it sounds like in many cases those aren't the best parts of the songs by a long shot.

The chorus to the bonus track Money On Straight though. That's some good stuff right there.

Jeff · Sep 21, 2017

TSLROCKS said:

Lol - sold out MSG in minutes but definitely not culturally relevant anymore...

Not to beat a dead horse here, but I'll be watching this band headline a night of ACL in a few weeks. The other two nights are headlined by Jay Z and Red Hot Chili Peppers. That's the company they keep. Whether or not anyone wants to argue that these are all "nostalgia" acts, being a headliner at the most attended music festival in the country speaks volumes to their popularity.

teebs41 · Sep 21, 2017

does this come out tomorrow or next week? thread says next week but someone said they didn't know it came out this week or something.

mike1885 · Sep 21, 2017

teebs41 said:

does this come out tomorrow or next week? thread says next week but someone said they didn't know it came out this week or something.

It comes out tomorrow

eagles1139 · Sep 21, 2017

Craig Manning said:

Wanted to say that this is the best thing I've read about this album anywhere and that you seem to "get" it a lot more than just about any critic who has reviewed is so far. A breath of fresh air to read this after listening to the album a few times today and after being disappointed by the dumpster fire that was Steven Hyden's review of it.

I like Hyden but his review did make me roll my eyes. Kinda reminded me of his "Get Hurt" review (at least in that one I could see what he was getting at) -- the "it's so dumb that it's good! But it's bad! But on some songs it's good because it's bad!" schtick seems clever in writing but it's not the way I've ever listened to any piece of music ever.

Craig Manning · Sep 21, 2017

eagles1139 said:

I like Hyden but his review did make me roll my eyes. Kinda reminded me of his "Get Hurt" review (at least in that one I could see what he was getting at) -- the "it's so dumb that it's good! But it's bad! But on some songs it's good because it's bad!" schtick seems clever in writing but it's not the way I've ever listened to any piece of music ever.

Yes! That's the exact article I thought of while reading it.

It just had me scratching my head. Like, why even write about the album at all if that's your angle? Especially since he's seemed like a pretty genuine fan of theirs in the past. It felt weirdly self-conscious to me, like he felt like he wasn't allowed to like this band non-ironically. I'm with you, though. The ironic enjoyment of something, or the "so bad it's good" approach has never been the way I've listened to music. I can see the "this is fun if I turn my brain off" argument for movies or TV, but not really for music.

AlwaysEvolving21 · Sep 21, 2017

I'm really enjoying this album. I'd definitely compare this new one to BB, just better IMO. Took me FOREVER to warm up to BB.

Barresi · Sep 21, 2017

Well, they made the right choice leaving “Money On Straight” off. Okay song, but doesn’t fit at all.

bodkins · Sep 21, 2017

First listen through and I'm really feeling this one. I enjoyed it a lot, but have doubts it'll top Battle Born for me. Still, excited to live with this one a bit. Got a lot of long fall drives and I'm gonna put it through the paces.

bodkins · Sep 21, 2017

Barresi said:

Just some thoughts really quick, if you guys will indulge me taking a stab at the themes of the album.

I think this is arguably their most cohesive album right off the bat, which I'm really excited about. There's no filler, there's no track that sticks out like a sore thumb. They have a pretty great collection of songs here, and thematically it remains entirely focused.

The album can pretty much be divided into two intertwining themes: the main focus being Brandon's wife and her struggle with depression and PTSD, and the underlying theme being Brandon's own struggle in coming to terms with what it means to be a man as a result of that. I think the title track does a great job of establishing a sense of place for the rest of the songs. Meanwhile, "The Man" serves as a starting point as well: shallow expectations of what a man should be, which will continue to be broken down as the record goes on.

My favorite one-two punch of the record is "Rut" and "Life to Come," the former being told from Tana Flowers' perspective, and the latter from Brandon's. "Rut" shines a light on the daily struggles of depression, and the seemingly impossible task of climbing never-ending walls. There's a lot to unpack in this song: it's a declaration of strength, but also a recognition of the need for help. "Life to Come" serves as an answer to "Rut," assuring that the narrator of the previous track isn't alone in the struggle. It's something really intimate made ridiculously huge, in that way the Killers do better than anyone.

"Run for Cover" and "Tyson vs. Douglas" return to the underlying theme, with images of impeccable masculinity continuing to come undone. From cheating senators to fallen heroes, this is Flowers' recognition of something gone awry in masculine idol worship. For all the chest-puffing and bravado, these men are still as capable of failure as any. "Tyson vs. Douglas" brings both of these tracks back to Flowers' familial dilemma in its bridge, addressing his own anxiety about failing in front of his children. However, this track also presents a question of what that failure would be: falling from grace as one of the biggest rock stars on the planet, or simply as failing in his role as a family man?

"Some Kind of Love" is lovely. I don't know how much I would love it outside the context of the album, or not knowing the story behind it. But written as a plea to someone struggling with suicidal thoughts, I think it's great. When Brandon's kid join him in the outro, it's a gut punch. Kind of weird placement, though. I would probably swap it with "Out of My Mind" on the tracklist.

Speaking of, I don't understand how "Out of My Mind" wasn't the second single. I love "Run for Cover" as much as anyone, but this is one of their best straight-up pop songs. In the context of the record, it serves as the meeting point for the two themes at play: the tension felt between a married couple due to both the husband's constant need for external approval, and the wife's apathy and distance as a result of mental health. This is where Brandon Flowers recognizes that his rock star status cannot fix the problems at home, and as much as he'd like to supplant his domestic issues with career success, he can't escape what is actually important to him. "But I don't know if I can stop" is an important line to take away from this one.

"The Calling" is a reckoning of sorts, with a son going after his father after realizing his acts were not what they were purported to be. Though it's pretty clearly a third-person narrative, this ties in with Flowers recognizing his passed down ideas of masculinity weren't impeccable, but in fact toxic and self-serving (love the bit in here where the narrator's two brothers have (barely) survived, but his sister has died). Like the narrator of the story he's spinning here, after having seen what's actually going on underneath the surface, Flowers is going to take a different path. Also, this song is an awesome Depeche Mode mashup, all "Personal Jesus" while the chorus kind of cribs the melody from "Enjoy the Silence." Love it.

The final song, "Have All The Songs Been Written?" once again brings both of the major themes together, with Brandon unsure of his own abilities as a songwriter and a man, but there has been a shift: he's not playing for the fame or the glory anymore, but for his wife. So when he pleas that he only needs "one more" song to get through to her, it's a desperate plea of someone who doesn't know what else he has to offer, other than what he's made a lifetime out of chasing. However useful he may or may not be, he's now committed to being there for his wife through her struggles, not going after what he previously thought would bring him fulfillment. Also, Knopfler kills this track and remains to be a living legend.

With that said, Dave's presence is definitely missed on a great deal of the album. Though there's some great guitar work in there, his mark is an undeniable part of the Killers identity. Regardless, this is a genuinely great album. Wouldn't put it up there with Sam's Town, but I can definitely see it wrestling for that second spot (which is already a bloody battle between Hot Fuss and Battle Born). A much more mature and thoughtful record from the guys, while not surrendering their penchant for making tracks just absurdly huge. They're aging gracefully.

Edit: Almost forgot to mention, Jacknife Lee. What a blessing for this band. The production is just insane, especially on "Out of My Mind" and "The Calling." He did an amazing job.

Spot on man!

eagles1139 · Sep 21, 2017

Yeah "Money on Straight" is my favorite here by a large margin and it's not even on the album. It's not essential or anything so I get leaving it off but it's got my favorite chorus

Collin Rohr · Sep 21, 2017

I hope this grows on me. I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. Run for Cover, Tyson vs. Douglas and Money on Straight are the only ones I'm very crazy about. The rest is just meh to me. And that sucks because that's how I feel about Battle Born. But I loved The Desired Effect, so I didn't know at all how I'd feel about this album. Like I said, hopefully it grows on me.

circasurviver · Sep 21, 2017

Really enjoyed this on my first listen. Not sure this will top BB for me, but we shall see.

LessThanTrevor · Sep 21, 2017

First album since Sam's Town that I've completely enjoyed.

AlwaysEvolving21 · Sep 21, 2017

Don’t give up on me. Cause I’m just in a rut.

Love that song. Reminds me of U2 for whatever reason. Probably bc the vocals and delayed guitar.

Same for Life To Come.

teebs41 · Sep 22, 2017

my coworker bought this and he loves it. I know you all were dying to know

Craig Manning · Sep 22, 2017

The Pitchfork review of this is also bad. Man, The Killers bring out the worst in music writers.

ImAMetaphor · Sep 22, 2017

Well I listened to The Man and now I guess I need to hear the entire album.

I've only ever listened to their singles.

Steve_JustAGuy · Sep 22, 2017

Wasn't particularly memorable on first listen. "The Man" is still a jam, but the "certified lean" line is still so corny to me. "Rut" stood out on it's own. I guess I think it was better than some initial reviews and comments indicated, I'll have to listen to it more.

radiodead · Sep 22, 2017

Battle Born was a dumpster fire of a record.

Matt Chylak · Sep 22, 2017

I wish they made a whole album like "Rut". I'm only on track three so maybe they did, but holy cow is this a good mode for Brandon's voice.

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