'Sam's Town'
"'Why do you waste my time?' / Is the answer to the question on your mind," sings Brandon. Actually the question on our mind was, "Have you really gone all Bruce Springsteen?" So actually, yes, that seems like a fair answer. A typically bombastic, muscular opener with some nice Psychedelic Furs synths before fading out into a bizarre circus march. Ooh.



'Enterlude'
Not really a song so much as nice little baroque intro. "We hope you enjoy your stay," welcomes Mr Flowers. Aww, thanks. We think we might just do that. Nice to be here.



'When You Were Young'
Unless you live on that new planet they've only just 'discovered', you may have heard this one already. In fact you can probably hear it on newly-relegated Pluto, such is its ubiquity on the airwaves. So we won't need to tell you it's a storming comeback of 'epic' proportions, with two of our favourite pop elements: nice staccato singing and the word 'Jesus' bellowed with gusto.



'Bling (Confessions Of A King)'
The epicness continues with a firm nod to pre-post-ironic U2. "Desert rain" is mentioned. "Wire" is rhymed with "fire". Mark Stoermer does his trademark bass 'rumble'. Lungs burst. Blimey.



'For Reasons Unknown'
"My heart, it don't beat the way it used to," laments Brandon, before The Killers storm into the territory once claimed by Keane and boot them out for squatting in deserts that don't belong to them. The 80s synth makes a brief reappearance, as does some rather nifty piano work which we can only imagine is played with one foot hitched up on the edge of the keyboard, Jerry Lee Lewis style.



'Read My Mind'
Dim the lights. Cue cymbals. Brandon seems to be enjoying this Rock God persona quite thoroughly. You almost expect him to announce, "OK Edge, play the blues!" before Dave Keuning launches into his chiming riffs. Instead he trills, "The stars are shining like rebel diamonds," in a way that only Amercians are allowed to do.



'Uncle Johnny'
Ooh, we've heard this one before, haven't we? It's 'Turn You Inside Out' by REM. Oh hang on, no it's not - because where there should be some impenetrable psycho-babble, Brandon instead declares as clear as day, "When everybody else refrained / My Uncle Johnny did cocaine." They couldn't be any more rock unless they put socks over their manhoods and recreated the 'Abbey Road' photo shoot. But just when we think we've got the measure of this one, The Killers whip out a Dame Bowie-style vocal chant and we find ourselves singing along loudly on the bus and being stared at like a loon.



'Bones'
So far, the one thing that's been lacking about 'Sam's Town' has been a little bit of melodramatic humour. Perhaps with a video by Tim Burton. And as luck would have it, a choir of heavenly angels invite us to come with them while The Killers let their hair down with a brilliant deconstruction of Date Rock. After pointing out that the ocean is "only water and sand", Brandon adds to the romantic mood by declaring "I don't really like you". Aww, bless. Sod Springsteen, we're in Meatloaf land now. Oh, and it's going to be the next single - with a video by Tim Burton. Spooky.



'My List'
Phew, after that Broadway knees-up, it's time for a breather another brooding slice of heartfelt Bono-ness. Just in time, the guitars move up a gear and it's time for another Meatloaf-esque anthem. "Don't give the ghost up, just clench your fist," the boys scream, like a hardcore male voice choir. Ace.



'The River Is Wild'
Ooh! We know this one too! "A baby being born to the overkill, la la la..." Eh? Why's he singing the words all wrong? Ah - because it's not actually Aztec Camera after all. It's Springsteen with extra Van Halen-style guitar instead. Brilliant. If anyone's written a better line this year than "That bitch keeps trying to make him pray," we'd like to hear it.



'Why Do I Keep Counting?'
The boys round things off with another HUGE chorus. The entire population of Vegas turns up on backing vocals. At one point you can clearly hear the kitchen sink bouncing off a kettle drum.



'Exitlude'
And that's your lot, save for a little reprise where The Killers remind us we were supposed to be enjoying our stay. A welcome reminder that, in the age of pick 'n' mix downloads, albums are meant to be events. It might not be their 'Sgt Pepper', but it could well be their 'Welcome To The Pleasure Dome'. A good thing.



Phew, after all that we need to… eh? What's THIS?

'Where The White Boys Dance'
Yay! It's an 'import only' track. And what with us being foreigners, we get to hear it! This seems like an attempt to get themselves a bit of extra cash by delivering another moody bass 'n' drum number that can be used for Goal of the Month on 'Match Of The Day' again. We're not sure what it's about though. Possibly the Barfly in Camden.



'All The Pretty Faces'
Yet another bonus track, this time all chugging guitars and Bono impressions. Producer Flood pushes every button marked 'anthem'. "I don't feel like loving you," Brandon reminds us, before confusingly adding "I'd do anything just to be your man." Honestly, these rock gods can't make up their minds...



Watch The Killers videos