And though ‘Battle Born’ is a welcome album, it’s not the return I would hope. Much more downbeat than their previous material, the story-telling heavy lyrics are mostly great but the songs never really become close to energetic, remaining a very sombre affair through its fifty minute run. There’s certainly no ‘Spaceman’, ‘Bones’ or ‘Somebody Told Me’ on here.
The album does start strongly though. Opener ‘Flesh and Bone’ is a great start with a classic Killers chorus and some top instrumentation, building up as the song progresses with strong, story-telling lyrics that defines the album, with words and themes that are emotional in their construction.
Single ‘Runaways’ which comes out of the gate next is not ‘Human’ in its first cut excellence but it’s another strong story-song with a driving, bassy-bridge and a great singable chorus, plus some top guitar work when it’s called for. It’ll take a few listens but it’s a thoroughly enjoyable track.
Song three ‘The Way It Was’ is again story-focussed but also a slower track, with shades of ‘The World We Live In’ and songs from that era. Again, lyrically and musically interested, and bolsters the album up in the first half, as shown by ‘Here With Me’, which is perhaps a little pondering but the chorus is well done and Flowers’ lyrics continue to delight.
‘A Matter of Time’ is a darker track with an eerie atmosphere throughout its production, with some fast-paced verses that give the song its appeal. The concept of the track perhaps doesn’t outstay the first two minutes of its running time but the sixth track ‘Deadlines and Commitments’ raises the standard once more with some falsetto-style verses and a very appealing chorus.
Sadly, as we hit the half-way point, ‘Battle Born’ loses its momentum. ‘Miss Atomic Bomb’, coming in seventh, has its moments with its speeding up vocals and rhyming lyrics but is mostly unimpressive. ‘The Rising Tide’ has a nice enough chorus and music, but that half-hearted description says it all. And ‘Heart of a Girl’ is a little middle-of-the-road.
Track ten ‘From Here On In’ does reverse this trend a little with a faster-tempo western-tinged song that offers something a little different musically but again nothing special tone-wise.
Penultimate tune ‘Be Still’ brings up the quality with a heavy, grandiose track with plenty of atmosphere, and a neat hook built around the line ‘labour until the work is done’ but the title-track closer, though a powerful and emotive ending to the album, is perhaps not the strongest.
Overall, ‘Battle Born’ is not a bad album but it suffers from a lacklustre second half and a consistent gloomy, sombre feel that lacks the energy of the big numbers that the Killers can do and have done. It’s not a patch on ‘Day and Age’ and though the first four tracks in particular are great, there’s no huge stand out numbers. It’s great to hear the Killers back but I was hoping for something a little perkier than this.
(5/10)
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