Latest review: The Killers - Day and Age

The Killers
Day and Age
Genre: Pop
Highlight: Human

BRITPOP is back in vogue this month, although amazingly it hasn't come courtesy of reformed rockers Blur, who earlier this week announced their first gig this decade next summer.

In fact it's thanks to longstanding pop favourites The Killers, who actually hail from the distinctly British backwater of Las Vegas, and have really pulled out all the stops for their third studio album.

Day and Age follows the foursome's longstanding tradition of paying homage to UK bands, following in Pulp's footsteps by mixing indie lyrics with hints of synthpop to produce numbers you'd rather dance than sing to. Think Common People rehashed for the Noughties and you won't be far off.

Predictably star of the show falls to lead single Human, currently attaining a bizarre cult following simply because lazy DJs are mishearing its lyrics. The chief line is the Hunter S Thompson quote "Are we human, or are we dancer" (not the more commonly-reported denser) but that shouldn't detract from it being a shimmering example of the band doing dance music.

Brandon Flowers and his colleagues have ventured down other experimental avenues, including the easy listening feel of I Can't Stay and the Paul-Weller-does-jazz sound of The World We Live In, but really this album's triumph remains in its Anglophile pop aimed straight at Friday nights. It's The Killers going clubbing.

The only reason it doesn't get five stars is that it can't quite match debut hit Hot Fuss, but hearing any of these tracks in an indie nightclub might change that.

CD provided by Tesco, Llandudno Junction