Back in 2003, Las Vegas quartet
the Killers
were just another young act pushing angular indie that revived post-punk and new wave sonics for a new generation, scoring a minor hit in England with a little song called "Mr. Brightside." Over in the U.S., it took over a year for another single, "Somebody Told Me," to edge its way onto the mainstream charts, peaking in late 2004 in a landscape that featured competition from acts like
Hoobastank
,
Linkin Park
, and
Green Day
. One could be forgiven for thinking they were just a flash in the pan, destined to fade away like so many of their early-aughts peers. However, two decades later, they had enough hits (and then some) to craft their second greatest-hits compilation,
Rebel Diamonds
. Celebrating 20 years with 20 songs, the collection showcases seven studio albums and a trio of stand-alone singles that have kept
on the radio, in stadiums, and on international festival stages since the band's inception, surviving the times with enduring hits and beloved favorites. Building upon 2013's
Direct Hits
set,
retains most of that first decade's tracks (major differences being "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" replacing "Smile Like You Mean It" for
Hot Fuss
representation; "For Reasons Unknown" getting axed; and "Be Still" performing double duty in the
Battle Born
era instead of "Miss Atomic Bomb" and "The Way It Was"). These changes are welcome, giving "Jenny" and "Be Still" some much deserved attention in the face of their more-famous album siblings.
The relative tumult of
' uneven second decade can be seen on the back half. After a five-year gap between albums, they returned in 2017 with
Wonderful Wonderful
, which yielded the strutting
Bowie
tribute "The Man" but not much else. At this point, it had been half a decade since they had a hit, and the future seemed a little uncertain. So when 2020's
Imploding the Mirage
landed to a flood of critical acclaim and fan adoration, it was a welcome comeback that reestablished the group with rousing, anthemic gems such as "Caution," "My Own Soul's Warning," and "Dying Breed." Even 2021's subdued, Americana-leaning
Pressure Machine
-- which added more emotional depth to their catalog with some of
Brandon Flowers
' most engaging storytelling to date -- kept the revival going, culminating in a triumphant international tour that found them performing on some of the biggest stages to date. In a generous move,
added three fresh tracks to the album, produced with longtime collaborator and
Day & Age
studio man
Stuart Price
. These infectious, '80s-indebted nu-wave nuggets stand tall as some of the band's best non-album tracks, echoing
Erasure
("boy"),
Pet Shop Boys
and
New Order
("Your Side of Town"), and even
by way of
Underworld
's "Born Slippy (Nuxx)" on "Spirit." Showing just how far
Flowers
Dave Keuning
Ronnie Vannucci, Jr.
Mark Stoermer
had come from just being stylish, Anglophile scenesters,
is a perfectly curated snapshot of two decades of indelible hits from one of the greatest American rock ambassadors of a generation. ~ Neil Z. Yeung