However, they knew that many outsiders were expecting just such an album — at least sales-wise. Guitarist David Keuning admits some of that pressure did get to the band — "How could it not?" he asks.

"Everybody is like, 'We can't wait for your second album, hope it's not a slump.' And then you've got other people just negative, like, 'Yeah, you're gonna suck, no one is give a crap about you after your second, you're going to fizzle out,"' he says. "We were just determined to prove all of those people wrong."

The band found guidance in the hands of Mark Ellis, known as Flood, and Moulder, producers who have separately or together worked on albums including U2's "Pop" and "Joshua Tree" and the Pumpkins' "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness." But instead of determining the artistic direction of "Sam's Town," The Killers' say the pair simply prodded them until they managed to find one on their own.

"Their dynamic was bringing out what we already do and making sure everybody's voices got heard, so that's why it's probably a different-sounding record," drummer Ronnie Vannucci said as his wife took a catnap nearby. "They almost acted like coaches."

This time around, the band didn't need to search far for inspiration. Unlike "Hot Fuss," whose lyrical content was based on a lot of fictional, fantastical tales, "Sam's Town" is rooted in reality. There's a song about a disillusionment and a family member's addiction. The title track, "Sam's Town," seems to touch on insecurities magnified by fame's bright lights: "I took a shuttle on a shockwave ride where people on the pen pull the trigger for accolades," Flowers warbles.

"Especially lyrically, everything is more nonfictional," says Stoermer. "It's from a real place."

Part of that may be due to the influence of one of the great American lyricists, Bruce Springsteen. Flowers says much of his Springsteen knowledge was from his "Born in the U.S.A." days — until he picked up some of the rock great's earlier recordings and was blown away.

"It's just a real pleasant surprise that I was going to fall in love with something," Flowers says. "I'm 25 years old and I thought that was over. ... You kind of lose the innocence of someone showing you something special, something being god-like."

Flowers and his bandmates seem to find few things special in music today. They've famously feuded with bands like Fall Out Boy and have bashed emo music, and while Flowers takes pains these days not to openly criticize his peers, it's clear he's not impressed with what he's hearing.

"I think bands are lazy. It's so much easier to do anything, even down to recording," he sniffs. "The whole world is lazier, so it's also showing itself face now in rock music and pop music and it's just crap. I'm excited when I hear my own songs, and we would like to be the messengers of good songs."

If you go ...

What: The Killers, Envy Corps

Where: The Great Saltair, 12408 W. Salt Air Drive, Magna

When: Saturday, 9 p.m.

How much: $29

Phone: 467-8499 or 800-888-8499

Web: www.smithstix.com