CD Review: Battle Born

Battle Born by The Killers

On Sept. 18, the Las Vegas based band, The Killers, released their fourth album, Battle Born, which can be seen as their comeback album after four years since their last studio album.

Brandon Flowers, lead vocals and synthesizers, Dave Keuning, guitar and background vocals, Mark Stoermer, bass guitar and background vocals, and Ronnie Vannucci, drums, percussion and background vocals, come back for this album with their usual alternative rock and new wave sound throughout Battle Born. The name of the album comes from the Nevada flag, which can be seen on the top left corner of it. It’s also the name of The Killers’ home studio.

Although the sound of Battle Born is catchy and very “road trip”, the lyrics are definitely the weakness of this album. It’s like an everyday pop album. If you don’t know what this mean, the song “Battle Born” is a perfect example. “You’re up against the wall/ Up against the wall/ Something dying on the Street/ Then they knock you down/ You’re gonna get back on your feet” is a text too simple and it’s a bit déjà vu.

Same problem with their first single “Runaways,” which starts by “Blonde hair blowin' in the summer wind/ A blue-eyed girl playing in the sand/I'd been on a trail for a little while/ But that was the night that she broke down and held my hand,” which is a bit cheesy.

Though the songs’ theme, a very cliché American life, is not really touching our emotions, the opening song, “Flesh And Bones” is far from disappointment. The mix of the percussions, synthesizers and guitars is amazing and Flowers sings with all his heart. This song must be very good during a live show, eh? But now, you had lyrics such as “I’ve gone through life white knuckle/ In the moments that left me behind/ Refusing to heed the yield/ I penetrate the force field in the blind” and this song is definitely part of the best songs of The Killers. Bravo.

In a nutshell, The Killers haven’t killed it. Even though the lyrics are not that great, this album is still worth spending money on (or downloaded, if you are one of those) and it belongs in your car. You can imagine yourself driving in the desert in Nevada when you listen to this album. It’s magical, even though you will probably be stuck in traffic while listening to it. You will be transported in the “Silver State” in no time.