Sam's Town
by The Killers
  • Record Label: Island
  • Release Date: Oct 3, 2006
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 334 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 269 out of 334
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 334
  3. Negative: 30 out of 334

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  1. CarlB
    Jul 19, 2007
    5
    Very mediocre. I do not understand why this band are so popular when people like Mark Lanegan are hardly noticed.
  2. Bryan
    Oct 10, 2006
    6
    Took me 4 spins to accept what it was, but once I got over that it wasn't a Hot Fuss clone, I learned to deal with the new style. A couple good singles, the "Sams Town" theme is stupid and obnoxious, definitly a couple of lyrical problems in some songs (Re: title track) but just not a very good album in general. Summary: give it a chance, but it's definitly not for everyone
  3. Giterdone
    Oct 3, 2006
    4
    lousy...the gig is up fellas
  4. TomL
    Oct 3, 2006
    5
    This album is no where near as good as the first one i have waited 2 years and im not happy but its not bad enough to give it less that five
  5. dylan
    Oct 3, 2006
    4
    A mediocre record by a band whose ambition has far outstripped it's songwriting and vocal talents.
  6. human
    Oct 9, 2006
    6
    A vast improvement which isn't saying much since this band is responsible for the worst radio hit of the decade (Somebody Told Me) so far. I checked this out due to morbid curiosity of their new Boss-influenced sound. If they were trying for Springsteen they really missed the mark. What they did come up with is pretty enjoyable. If you were wonding what Bon Jovi jamming with Sparks A vast improvement which isn't saying much since this band is responsible for the worst radio hit of the decade (Somebody Told Me) so far. I checked this out due to morbid curiosity of their new Boss-influenced sound. If they were trying for Springsteen they really missed the mark. What they did come up with is pretty enjoyable. If you were wonding what Bon Jovi jamming with Sparks would sound like, you can quit wondering. I give it a B for bombast. My prediction is that this will be a relative flop and they will go back to lipgloss.… Expand
  7. Mycroft
    Oct 26, 2006
    5
    It's not a bad record, it's just that for a band that has their aspirations they sure sound average. And it does not bode well that the remixes of When you were young are better than the original or any of the other tracks on the album.
  8. schmackoM
    Oct 3, 2006
    6
    Well, yes, it's a blatant, kinda-dull play at injecting some ol-fashioned Americana into the band
  9. matt
    Oct 3, 2006
    4
    See the New York Times and Pop Matters reviews...then remind yourself that Hot Fuss was a near perfect pop album and hope next time around these guys will play to their strengths.
  10. KatyD
    Oct 5, 2006
    4
    Impossible to followup a great CD like Hot Fuss but this effort is pretty bad. Listening to most of the songs I think to myself "I would turn the station in a heartbeat if I heard this on the radio." A few songs are okay but overall it's very disappointing.
  11. MichaelR
    Oct 6, 2006
    4
    Everyone expected BIG BIG things from this album, being that 'Hot Fuss' sold over 5 million copies...I too could not wait for Sam' Town. Now that I have listened to it for two days, i'd appreciate The Killers to take the album, keep about 3 or 4 songs, and go back to the studio and make better, CATCHIER songs...WAY TOO MANY FILLER SONGS HERE!!! good songs on the album: Everyone expected BIG BIG things from this album, being that 'Hot Fuss' sold over 5 million copies...I too could not wait for Sam' Town. Now that I have listened to it for two days, i'd appreciate The Killers to take the album, keep about 3 or 4 songs, and go back to the studio and make better, CATCHIER songs...WAY TOO MANY FILLER SONGS HERE!!! good songs on the album: "When you were young", great song "Bones", bowie/the cure-like and fun "The River is Wild" fast fun song "Sam's Town"… Expand
  12. MislavF.
    Aug 9, 2007
    4
    I honestly got so tired of the cheese of this album that I turned it off on the last track, not even a full listen.
  13. matta
    Oct 12, 2006
    5
    Pretty embarrassing. Hot Fuss was a good record (good not great) that just got overplayed. When I heard the bad press for this record, I wasn't willing to just jump on the bandwagon of Killers-haters. Then I saw the When You Were Young video and it was a solid single, and I thought that this record might actually be good. I was wrong. Aforementioned single is the only really good Pretty embarrassing. Hot Fuss was a good record (good not great) that just got overplayed. When I heard the bad press for this record, I wasn't willing to just jump on the bandwagon of Killers-haters. Then I saw the When You Were Young video and it was a solid single, and I thought that this record might actually be good. I was wrong. Aforementioned single is the only really good track with a few other okay ones, but the lyrics are all-around awful (not that they were amazing on Hot Fuss, but still, this is just so much worse). Really, this metacscore is pretty fair, and maybe even a little generous.… Expand
  14. Megakraak
    Oct 16, 2006
    5
    Well, Flowers said this new album will be more "american" than 'Hot Fuss'. So what's new? 'Sam's Town' is a strange album and many times songs can be repetitive. We can find some interesting musics, not many, with a lot of bizarre influences... Meat Loaf?!!? Waterboys? 2 years ago, The Killers were the best "british" band; now they inverted that and are Well, Flowers said this new album will be more "american" than 'Hot Fuss'. So what's new? 'Sam's Town' is a strange album and many times songs can be repetitive. We can find some interesting musics, not many, with a lot of bizarre influences... Meat Loaf?!!? Waterboys? 2 years ago, The Killers were the best "british" band; now they inverted that and are trying to be the best american band... they intend! Not sure if they will. Originality decreases.… Expand
  15. ToddW
    Oct 3, 2006
    5
    Ahhh, The Killers. A dumbed-down, less angular, more predictable, way less astute Franz Ferdinand. Just what we all need, right? For all you soccer moms (and dads!) out there who can't stop humming along to these tired, regurgitated, elementary melodies, how does it feel to be in the same social strata as the circle of prepubescents on the playground of your local junior high school? Ahhh, The Killers. A dumbed-down, less angular, more predictable, way less astute Franz Ferdinand. Just what we all need, right? For all you soccer moms (and dads!) out there who can't stop humming along to these tired, regurgitated, elementary melodies, how does it feel to be in the same social strata as the circle of prepubescents on the playground of your local junior high school? I guess someone had to come along and make you all feel "hip" again, no? Go back to rockin' the Coldplay in your SUVs; the Killers are D.O.A.… Expand
  16. TrishL.
    Jun 25, 2007
    5
    Mediocre album. As a huge fan of Hot Fuss, this was a bitter disappointment.
  17. Oligami
    Sep 11, 2007
    4
    It is worse than Hot Fuss for sure.
  18. TravisB
    Nov 1, 2006
    4
    Ughhhh, how can you go from a catchy pop-rock album to this? I laughed out loud at the first track and I don't laugh easily. It's like they aren't sure what made them so damn likeable on "Hot Fuss" so they just throw in all that plus more. Making for a muddled and terribly overzealous composition.
  19. JM
    Nov 13, 2006
    5
    I've listened to this album at least twenty times hoping to finally have that "Aha" moment where I understand what positive reviewers have been writing about. I still haven't had that moment. Often, the songs are so far over the top that I can't decide whether the group members are taking themselves way too seriously or making one big joke. Some people have written that the I've listened to this album at least twenty times hoping to finally have that "Aha" moment where I understand what positive reviewers have been writing about. I still haven't had that moment. Often, the songs are so far over the top that I can't decide whether the group members are taking themselves way too seriously or making one big joke. Some people have written that the album is stronger as a whole than Hot Fuss, but I'll take a couple of standouts that I can't get out of my head over consistently okay songs any day. The things that appeal to me the most to me on Sam's Town are the ones that remind me of other bands from the past three decades. To me, it ends up feeling like The Killers are desperate to be a Capital I Important band, but they want to be sure that we all know it's just a lark to them in case they fail.… Expand
  20. erics
    Oct 12, 2006
    5
    Does not even compare to Hot Fuss... WAY too much hype. Too much filler; this cd could have been cut down to maybe 2-3 tracks and the rest sounds bland and pointless. The Killers have let me down.
  21. mikes.
    Oct 14, 2006
    5
    There first album absolutely Sucked with a capital "S." But there single was sort of a guilty pleasure much like Panic at the Disco has a guilty pleasure single. Suprisingly they actually improved their production and songwriting with their new release Sam's Town. Not a good band to begin with, but at least they sound inspired and that they are trying hard to make a good album. There first album absolutely Sucked with a capital "S." But there single was sort of a guilty pleasure much like Panic at the Disco has a guilty pleasure single. Suprisingly they actually improved their production and songwriting with their new release Sam's Town. Not a good band to begin with, but at least they sound inspired and that they are trying hard to make a good album. They've matured, in a good way, but they are no longer so bad they're good (so u can laugh at how bad they are). They're now an average sounding band. Not boring, not entertaining either, but an improvement over their previous efforts nonetheless.… Expand
  22. SebH
    Nov 14, 2008
    6
    I can understand where both parties are coming from - the tunes on this album are pretty damn amazing and it's a fun listen, but I don't think it's worthy of a perfect rating either. Lyrically, this is a complete disaster, and its overall concept just doesn't work (making it a similar kind of disaster as U2's Pop in that it sounds good but has an unrealised I can understand where both parties are coming from - the tunes on this album are pretty damn amazing and it's a fun listen, but I don't think it's worthy of a perfect rating either. Lyrically, this is a complete disaster, and its overall concept just doesn't work (making it a similar kind of disaster as U2's Pop in that it sounds good but has an unrealised concept). Then there's the fact that it just doesn't sound like the Killers - they take themselves too seriously here and it just doesn't work. I think a lot of people would have been happier if they had stuck to being a Vegas sleazebag new romantic/dance-pop band rather than this uber-earnest group aiming higher than they can punch… Expand
  23. Palp
    May 26, 2012
    5
    While I didn't think this album was awful, I found it weak when compared to Hot Fuss and Day & Age. I found the majority of the songs on this album to be dull and lacking hooks to make them memorable. I think this album will leave a poor impression on someone who picks this up as their first Killers album, and would recommend either Hot Fuss of Day & Age as a starting point.
  24. brockcheese
    Aug 19, 2020
    6
    This album’s concept kind of fall’s flat without a cohesive through line. We are introduced to Sam’s town. A bunch of sad songs ensue and then we are left wondering what the point of it all was.

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Most Discussed Album of 2006
13
#13 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
64

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 32
  3. Negative: 2 out of 32
  1. Uncut
    60
    The problem... is that size seems to be used as an excuse for the lack of musical ideas. [Nov 2006, p.102]
  2. Observer Music Monthly
    100
    Crucially, Sam's Town sounds like a complete collection, with a far better strike rate than its predecessor.
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  3. Blender
    80
    It is very good.
    Read full review
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