The Killers - Sam's Town (The First Listen)

(***/5)

It's a known fact that the long-awaited 2nd album by The Killers will result in quite a few reviews and comments everywhere.
Here's my 2% on the album:

1) Sam's Town - is a great opening track reaffirming them on their best - distorted, anthem-like guitars and synths all over with lots of overdubs! At the end, you could tell they might have listen to the "Yellow Submarine" tracks by the Beatles.
2) Enterlude - "We hope you enjoy your stay..." is a quick piano+vocals cheasy song, inviting the listener for this CD "it's pleasure to have you with us even if it's just for a day". Perhaps a little too obvious...
3) When You Were Young - should be known by everyone by now. Heavy references to Springsteen. For those who are fans of that, they'll eat this up. If you're not, you'll probably focus on the fact that the instrumentation is pretty good, probably the best part of the song. It's well produced, with strings and synth and changing dynamics and everything.
4) Bling (Confessions of a King) - It's certainly one of the best tracks of the new album. Clear influences of U2 here with the delay effects on the guitar (aka the Edge).
5) For Reasons Unknown - The beat, synths and the way Brandon sings reminds me a lot of Mr Brightside (especially when they get to the chorus), almost the same progression on chords.
6) Read My Mind - Another great track. Simple with the great hooks present in the previous album.
7) Uncle Johnny - Maybe a filler?!? It has all the characteristics...
8) Bones - Their second single for Sam's Town. It was recently announced the recording of the videoclip under the direction of Tim Burton, the director behind goth flicks Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands. The song itself, hum.. average at best... repetitive with the horns and trumpets. I would expect a lot more the be chosen as the 2nd single.
9) My List - a regular track, good hooks but not impressive again.
10) This River is Wild - This one could be on Hot Fuss without problems. Glad that I made on this album, bringing some hope that it will get better towards the end, right? SPIN called it "the most hysterical track".
11) Why Do I Keep Counting - Great harmonization of the backing vocals with the Beatles influences scattered through the song. A good song to close a concert and the CD, hey but not yet...
12) Exitlude - "I hope you enjoyed your stay...", again too obvious and totally unnecessary. Well, is their choice right?

As Rolling Stone stated (**/5) at the end of their review "On Sam's Town they seem like they're trying to make a big statement, except they have nothing to say - and who thought a band as shrewd as the Killers would fall into such an obvious trap?".

I'm underwhelmed by this album... and certainly expected much more.

+ The Killers - "When You Were Young"
+ The Killers - "Sam's Town"
+ The Killers - "Bling (Confessions of a King)"