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Albums

“Wonderful Wonderful” – The Killers

Brandon Flowers comes out swinging right away on The Killers’ fifth LP. “I know the score like the back of my hand. Them other boys, I don’t give a damn,” Flowers sings during swagger-induced lead-single “The Man.” In a way, “The Man” is somewhat misleading as a lead single, as it suggests a more modern Killers. Yet, the rest of “Wonderful Wonderful” is widely varied, with a continuing influence from U2 and their vast soundscapes. Sophomore single “Run For Cover” would act as a better representation of the album as a whole, but this just proves that there are a lot of fun moments on the newest effort from The Killers.

“Gathering” – Josh Ritter

Are you a fan of modern folk/americana? If so, then there’s a decent chance you’ve already heard of Josh Ritter. However, if you haven’t taken the time to check out Ritter’s previous work, “Gathering” is a great jumping-in point. This time around Ritter is infusing some soul influence into a few tracks to keep it from getting stale, but this is still a traditional release from Ritter, not too different from the singer-songwriter’s excellent 2015 effort “Sermon on the Rocks.”

“Gemini” – Macklemore

So yeah, this came out apparently. Fun fact: this is Macklemore’s first truly solo LP since 2005, as 2012’s “The Heist” and 2016’s “This Unruly Mess I’ve Made” were both collaborative efforts with Ryan Lewis. But don’t be mistaken, Lewis can still be heard all over “Gemini,” but as can a variety of other influences. However, no singles are as instantly satisfying as “Can’t Hold Us” or “Thrift Shop,” and the instrumentals here aren’t significantly more varied. The verdict: it’s alright. If you already like Macklemore, you’ll enjoy this.

Singles

“One Foot” – Walk the Moon

The best way to describe this new Walk the Moon single is to recall the career path of Maroon 5. Once a pop-alternative act that actually incorporated all elements of a full band, once they got enough exposure to the mainstream with multiple hit-singles, they went further and further into the pure-pop realm, with less-and-less organic elements. After Walk the Moon’s gargantuan single “Shut Up and Dance,” it’s clear that they will be moving in a similar direction. “One Foot” features elements of EDM with programmed beats and a similar “drop” moment. It’s very catchy and will get played on the radio a lot, but I can’t help but feel like this is the beginning of a band losing their identity.

“Never Steady” – John June Year

After releasing a slightly bland lead-single “Back Me Up,” Iowa’s own John June Year returns with a satisfyingly brief, yet expansive followup single. “Never Steady” is much more relaxed, and much less try-hard than the preceding single, and it works in it’s favor. While the track is barely over two minutes, it doesn’t feel compromised in any way and actually features a very tight, focused track that is heavy on vibes.