A synth-pop structure with comparisons to Pet Shop Boys? Daring today, aren’t we? For The Killers though it is more of the same because they know it works and are certain they are good at it. Fine enough, and variety will likely come on the solo record Brandon Flowers has teased in the dying lights of 2023. We Did It in the Name of Love then, too late to fit into an already crammed December schedule but important enough to listen to, is of the Spirit variety. The Rebel Diamonds cut which had never been released, likely pulled from the scrapped studio sessions, has left The Killers in a state of freefall. Annoyingly, the track is only available on social media. Wade into the thick and filthy waters.
Here they are, celebrating their best works and must feed the machine as they tour. Santa has a brand-new song in his bag and it sounds about what you would expect from The Killers. Still scraping together but stronger on this single than first expected – We Did It in the Name of Love is more of the same but has a thicker pull to it. Sharper bass work has a fluid 1980s feel to it but a marked difference from the usual shtick. Background vocals and interjections from those powerful moments are quite the treat for the ears and do well to give Flowers a platform to leap from. He manages the spotlight as well as he often does though this release has a surprisingly sharp and compact feel to it. Calling out his imperfections as he does brings a level of humanity to The Killers.
It is easy to forget they are people, the huge nature of The Killers is now an institution and We Did It in the Name of Love, while effectively sounding like the genre and century they were so desperate to fit into, is a human flourish. The band finds themselves dealing with a consistent turn on a strong song – a hopeful piece for the end of the year. As consistent as it may be there is little tact of encouragement from its sudden end – a song which sounds as endless as this will always struggle to cap itself. But even then, the urgency of it, the jangle pop flickers and the resounding momentum within is a real thrill.
Experience it, then. Hop onto the former bird-related social media app and fire up We Did It in the Name of Love. If and when this releases onto Spotify it will no doubt be a treat for those who need a bit of a sparkle in their playlist. Not all that dissimilar to the best works from The Killers and a nice groove throughout is all it takes to hook the majority – and rightly so. A fun little number which has its heart in the right place and makes for enjoyable, consistent pieces from a band whose freefall is their own making. They are yet to figure out what they wish to do, reeling from abandoned sessions and a frontman who has finally figured out where he wishes to take his style. We Did It in the Name of Love feels as though it has purpose, clarity and sense to it, something lacking in recent releases.
