CD reviews: The Killers

A few songs into The Killers’ fifth studio album, frontman Brandon Flowers sings, "Don’t give up on me/Coz’ I’m just in a rut", an auto-tune enhanced line that could well speak to the Las Vegas-based act’s penchant for penning average songs which, over the years, have been saved by slick production.

Alas, Wonderful Wonderful continues that trend: on the titular opening track, the gloriously in-your-face drums and bassline are undone by woeful lyricism;  yet lead single The Man is a joyous 1980s funk-rock party, anchored by a stomping beat and pulsing synth phrases.

• The Killers. Wonderful Wonderful. Island Records.

• ★★★ (out of five)

Single download: The Man
For those who like: U2, Sledgehammer-era Peter Gabriel

— Shane Gilchrist