The Killers
Pressure Machine

A year ago, around this time, "Imploding The Mirage," the new anticipated album by The Killers, was released, which, according to plans, was to be followed by a world tour. However, the continuation of the pandemic halted everything, and so Brandon Flowers and family moved to Nephi, a small town in Utah where the band's leader spent his teenage years in the 90s.
This return to origins stirred something in Brandon's mind and soul, prompting him to remember and evoke old stories and anecdotes that happened right there, as well as to look around and rediscover his deeper American roots. Back to the roots, I'd say.
The idea of putting these stories in writing and then building music on them was in fact the genesis of what would become the project shared with the rest of the band (including David Keunig, who rejoined the others after stepping away for a bit and not participating in the recordings of "Imploding the Mirage") of the album released yesterday 08/13/2021.
An album released almost by surprise without even a true lead single.

"Pressure Machine," the name of the new album, is in fact their most American work since "Sam's Town," and for the writer, also their best since then.
The main reference is undoubtedly Springsteen's "Nebraska," evident right from the first track, West Hills, which tells of drug possession and where the harmonica instantly recalls the Boss. After all, Flowers has never denied his admiration for Springsteen, but perhaps until now, his great storytelling ability was never put at the service of such songs, always favoring that indie/electronic English music from the 80s and 90s long admired and which has brought the band success.

The lyrics here are mature, often dark, sad, stories of common people chasing the American dream and often not achieving it. Stories of a lost provincial town where two kids are killed by a freight train (Quiet Town), stories of rodeos (Runaway Horses featuring Phoebe Bridges, a girl fan of the band who often covered their songs), stories of a gay boy contemplating suicide (Terrible Thing), stories of a policeman falling in love with a woman abused by her partner who ends up being killed by the policeman (Desperate Thing). The Getting By, the track that closes the album, instead, offers a dash of positivity. Keep on going, anyway.

The idea of placing testimonies of real Nephi inhabitants narrating anecdotes collected by a local radio in the space between songs is interesting and well-targeted.

In conclusion: "Pressure Machine" is a beautiful and mature album, appealing to those who love American atmospheres à la Springsteen, War on Drugs, but also the more recent Taylor Swift of Folklore, and even to those who are not fans of the band.

Such an album will hardly be played at the big festivals the Killers have been used to for years, but for once, a great album can be made that diverges from the repertoire and lies there like a precious object to be brought out on more intimate occasions.

The best track for me: "In Another Life"