Released: 2021

Genres: Heartland Rock, Folk Rock, Singer-Songwriter

The Musiquarium’s Pressure Machine Review Score: 8.5 out of 10

In the mid naughts, songs like Somebody Told Me, Mr. Brightside and When You Were Young were inescapable. The Killers were massive — they were the next big thing in alternative rock, with crossover success with the pop crowd. Then came Day & Age, which was a huge step down in quality, verging too far into stadium pop territory. It took four years for a follow-up, Battle Born, which was a Bruce Springsteen wannabe snooze-fest.

When Wonderful Wonderful released in 2017, it didn’t really win anyone over either, despite containing some of the best songs they’ve put out since Sam’s Town, though the other half of that album was typical of post-2007 era Killers, where it seemed like Brandon Flowers was trying to appeal to teenage girls with sappy ballads more than anything. Three years later, Imploding the Mirage arrived, and though critics weren’t exactly enamoured with that album, it felt like they were finally on the right track.

Their latest album Pressure Machine was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2021. This is likely the most consistent, artistic, well-produced and most passionate project that The Killers have ever made. Recorded with analog recording equipment, there’s a warmth and authenticity to this album, and although it may mirror Flowers’ hero Bruce Springsteen (particularly his 1982 classic Nebraska), it’s still got its own thing going outside of its acoustic sound.

Most songs on the album begin with interviews from various small town folks, talking about things ranging from the impacts on society of opioid addictions, going hunting and people getting run over on train tracks. It adds a conceptual narrative through the album, and shows how Flowers wasn’t going for accessibility, and wasn’t afraid to detail serious topics.

West Hills has Brandon Flowers singing his heart out, resulting in a passionate crescendo. The title track is an ode to Flowers’ youth. Phoebe Bridgers features on Runaway Horses. In the Car Outside is one of the greatest Killers songs yet, making use of some incredibly tasteful synths over top of electric drums, in fact, that’s one of my favourite things about this record — it’s primarily a heartland rock album, but they still find a few places to add electronic elements, without making it seem jarring or inappropriate.

Pressure Machine might not be The Killers’ catchiest or most memorable album, but it’s definitely their most consistent and artistic work yet.

For credit breakdowns and historic release details, view The Killers on Discogs.

Back to the 2021 Album Guide or the The Killers Reviews page.

Written by Brett Nippard