Leave it to these Vegas boys to take another gamble. After the monster success of its 2004 new wave-inspired debut "Hot Fuss," the Killers borrowed a page from Springsteen's playbook for its '06 set "Sam's Town," a grandiose concept album tailored toward the everyman. Here, the band trades in the slick mega hooks and stadium-sized rockers for steel drums, bongos and a whole lotta sax. There's even an out-of-character seven-minute epic, "Goodnight, Travel Well." But the band sounds best on "Human," a Pet Shop Boys-like synth- pop number, and "Spaceman," a big, hooky rocker. The Caribbean-flavored "I Can't Stay" and the Duran Duran-lite "Joyride" are much more perplexing, as is the looped chanting that anchors "This Is Your Life." If nothing else, this band keeps fans on their toes, and they're likely to buy in for another round. —Jill Menze