The Killers are back with sixth studio album “Imploding the Mirage”

Imploding the Mirage album cover

The Killers are a Las Vegas rock band who have been releasing music for over 15 years. Their last couple of albums have been lackluster, but “Imploding the Mirage” does present some improvement, though it still lacks creativity. Their previous albums have been more cliche, falling in a pool of the genre’s early 2000s music. The Killers’ older work lacks a sense of cohesiveness, sounding messy from beginning to end.

Unfortunately, that continues to affect the band’s music today. “Imploding the Mirage” comes off as dull, making it tedious to listen from track to track. There are some tolerable songs, but on the whole “Imploding the Mirage” provides nothing special. Its lead single, “Caution,” is an upbeat song with eerie elements that come from the slight synth use. However, that does not hide the lackluster sound or boring lyrics. Although there is no denying that lead singer, Brandon Flower, has some amazing vocals. This upbeat tone continues to the third single, “My Own Soul’s Warning,” with its production using a bit of the surf punk genre. 

The album’s flaws bleed into its lack of rock music. A hardcore fan of the band may love the change, but if listeners were expecting a rock album from a rock band… you would’nt get any of that here. Though “Imploding the Mirage” can be seen as an attempt to evolve the sound of The Killers, it instead comes off as safe as the band retreats into a rock-pop sound that is not their traditional specialty. A good example of this was their fourth single, “Dying Breed.” The sound followed that of a generic pop song, lacking complexity. Though the song, “Running Towards a Place” has a nice rhythm, the song does not mash together with the rest of the album. Sounding a bit out of place, the track acts as a filler to lengthen the 42-minute album.

Overall, it is not the most creative album in the world. The Killers play it safe, which is not inherently bad, but ultimately drowns them in an already saturated genre. As a veteran band, some might expect a stronger album, but “Imploding the Mirage” does not deliver. Though some of the singles are enjoyable, it is underwhelming. The album’s biggest weakness is not bland songwriting perse, but a lack of individuality and creativity.

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