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The Killers latest album, Wonderful Wonderful, released September 22, was the first album released by the band in five years. Although The Killers fans may miss the familiar sound the band has developed in the past, their new album doesn’t stray all too far from the path. “Run for Cover” exemplifies this, as it was originally meant to be part of Day and Age but wasn’t completed until now. “Rut” is also, a bit appropriately, reminiscent of the band’s older tracks, with its nostalgic heartland rock tone. Overall the album is generally more paced in terms of energy, although, apart from “The Man”, there isn’t the same adrenaline-charged songs that made albums like Sam’s Town so successful. The most obvious differences in Wonderful Wonderful mainly lie in a more prominent use of electronic stylings, most notably in the lead single on the album, “The Man”, a song that more closely resembles a disco anthem than anything they’ve released in the past. Lead singer, Brandon Flowers, explains the song as a reflection of toxic masculinity, something he admits to struggling with when the band was just starting out. Lyrically, Wonderful Wonderful delves into Brandon’s experience with arrogance and humility in other songs as well, such as “Tyson vs. Douglas”.
Another major theme present in the album concerns Brandon Flowers’ wife, Tana Mundkowsky, and her struggle with depression and PTSD. The track, “Some Kind Of Love”, essentially functions as a plea from Brandon and their kids to stay strong through a particularly difficult time in her life, making Wonderful Wonderful an incredibly personal album. This vulnerability is very typical of the Las Vegas rock band in previous songs, such as “A Dustland Fairytale”, a quality that Flowers believes is particularly appreciated by fans.
Standing alone, Wonderful Wonderful is a fairly strong album in terms of variety and energy, but in the context of The Killers’ more successful albums is a disappointment to fans of their more iconic rock anthems. As an imaginative attempt on Brandon Flowers’ part to turn a creative dead end into an album, I give Wonderful Wonderful a B+.