"We Love America!"

For their second album,The Killers are inspired not by british singers but by ones born in the USA

We're proud to be from Las Vegas,says Brandon Flowers of the killers.The 24 year old frontman is calling from a studio built inside sin city's Palms Casino Resort,where the band are recording their sophmore record with producers Alan Moulder and Flood."and ours will be the first album made in a casino!"

After touring for two years behind their three times platinum debut,Hot fuss,an album that borrowed heavily from english 80's bands,the killers returned to the desert with a couple of surprising muses homegrown hitmakers Bruce Springsteen and tom petty."Springsteen made me understand my dad,so it's like i got re raised listening to him,"Flowers says.

Those long stretches traversing the country also inspired the band to rethink their beloved skinny tie influences "Before,our music was an imagination i had about england and manchester band i love.Now i think,why am i writing this song? does this really come out of me..or new order and the smiths? Not to get hippie,but we've gotten in touch with ourselves and how much we love america and Las Vegas.

Along with their newfound patriotism,changes in the family Flowers married his longtime girlfriend,and guitarist Dave keuning became a father have engendered a more optimistic outlook.we write hits and have never been shy about that,but this album is connected to life,Flowers says,before joking,"i hope that does'nt scare our fans they seemed so happy with our songs about killing girls.

"We still sound like the killers,he continues reassuringly."just more heartfelt."