Here is a track-by-track review of the band’s sixth studio album:

My Own Soul’s Warning:

This is the first track I heard off the album while I tuned into Absolute a few weeks before the album was released. It is a slow-building track that bursts into a traditional Killers wall of sound. You can never forget the sound for that reason alone. The fable is quite religious, and what happens when you start questioning its validity? 

Blowback:

I remember while listening to this track if there is a deliberate drug reference behind the title. Because we all know when you partake in doing a blowback. However, the subject is altogether very different. It is about a lady trying to forget the past and move on but keeps getting blown back to times she would rather forget. Brandon Flowers has shown his ability to compel you with his lyrical content and stories. As the song draws to the end, two men appear to discuss the lady and how one has strong feelings for her, but the other man asks if he is willing to stay when the past creeps back in.

Dying Breed:

Brandon goes for it on this song, especially in the chorus, as his vocals grow in volume. A typical Killers track with all the synthesisers, et cetera. One to get the seating section up on their feet for a dance when venues are back to total capacity.

Caution:

The single promoting the album sounds like four bands rolled into one song. The intro is very Tame Impala, the verses are the War on Drugs and Slowdive, and the chorus is the Killers. Once again, the lyrical content and the story draw you in. There’s even an appearance by Lindsey Buckingham on the lead guitar. The story is about rolling the dice and throwing caution to the wind regardless of the consequences because you don’t want to regret missed opportunities.

Lightning Fields:

For the second track in succession, there is a feature in the form of K.D. Lang, and it works because her heartfelt vocals add to the whole aspect of the song. This is Brandon’s ode to his mother. As I said, it is Lang’s vocals that stand out over a typical Killers track that is inspired by the 80s. (It is hard to believe that when their debut was released, they were dubbed the American version of Oasis.).

Fire in Bone:

There is a bit of experimentation for the band here as they try doing funk. This reminded me of the prodigal son story from the holy bible, where you are forgiven for your wrongdoings upon your return. I especially love the lyrics, which thank the person for being there when they thought they were alone. It is also a reminder that only some of the time do we need to make it out of the dark without help and can confide in others. This is Brandon once again telling his wife that he’s always going to be there and she doesn’t have to suffer from her mental illness in silence. This could be a track that wasn’t quite good enough for the previous album, but Brandon felt that its unique beat and storyline fit perfectly on this record.

Running Towards a Place:

What with the biblical story on the previous track and the ongoing theme of religion, this album is very much invested in faith, and it’s no different on this track. Brandon could be a religious Mormon, but I am unsure. But on this track, he wants to believe that heaven and hell exist and to go to heaven and take the people he loves and cares about. Brandon has done a lot of soul-searching during the production of the record.

My God:

Weyes Blood’s vocals complement Brandon’s beautifully over what I can only describe as a hymnal rock (Does that genre exist? Surely, it must do?). I know that Brandon talks about being relieved that something weighing him down has now been lifted and wants to celebrate that fact. It might be again about his wife and how talking to her and dedicating a whole album to her mental health has made him understand and become a better person and husband.

When the Dreams Run Dry:

This appears to be a follow-up to “Running Towards a Place” with the theme of getting to heaven but aimed more at the pop market and seems to be the sole pop track on the entire album.

Imploding the Mirage:

The album closes with the title track and is appropriately upbeat—the best way to complete any record. You want the listener to have enjoyed the experience and leave them washed with euphoria as the last song fades out. Brandon talks about how he first locked eyes with his wife and how their opposite personalities were worth the danger of combining—a superb way to end another magnificent album.

Song recommendations: “Holding the Mirage”, “My Own Soul’s Warning”, “Caution”.

9/10