At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 64, based on 32 reviews.

Sam's Town received generally positive reviews from music critics. Before a frothy crowd, the Killers proved they've become a tight live band.' Critical reception Professional ratings Aggregate scores Tour Ĭhristian Hoard of Rolling Stone gave the Killers' concert at Madison Square Garden three-and-a-half stars, saying, 'The Vegas quartet's maligned new album, Sam's Town, might pack more unfortunate big-rock bombast than its new wave debut, Hot Fuss, but it shares a generous hook quotient and a Vegas-y talent for crowd-pleasing. However, when working with Eno for Wonderful Wonderful, Eno told him that he was never offered the project in the first place. You really hear what my voice sounds like, for the first time.' At one point, Flowers was told that Brian Eno had passed over the chance to produce the album, a rejection that affected Brandon greatly. I was adamant about not using it this time. On the first album, we used auto-tune, and I didn't even realize what was going on with these machines and the computer. In the October 2006 issue of Giant magazine, Flowers was quoted as saying that Sam's Town would be 'one of the best albums in the past twenty years', and in Entertainment Weekly he remarked that it would be 'the album that keeps rock & roll afloat.'įlowers later said of production techniques used on the record, 'We didn't use too many vocal effects. The album is said to be influenced by the works of U2, Duran Duran, Bruce Springsteen, the Beatles, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Electric Light Orchestra, and Dire Straits, among others. The cover artwork of Sam's Town features model and singer Felice LaZae. The artwork inside the album booklet is taken from a Downtown Las Vegas mural painted by Suzanne Hackett-Morgan, a local painter.

Sam's Town was also a huge sign that was visible to band member Mark Stoermer through his room window when he was young.Īccording to photographer Anton Corbijn, the band initially wanted a 'chic, gypsy look' for the album, and that 'out of those discussions came these elements of faded glory.' The album's co-producer, Flood, is dressed as a Native American in the CD booklet. The album takes its name from Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, a hotel and casino in Las Vegas, the band's hometown.

The killers discography and track list