In some ways, "Day & Age" feels like a direct riposte to the earnest and old-fashioned American arena rock ideals behind "Sam's Town." The new single "Human," a pillowy and remix-ready sliver of synth-pop, has already yielded one of 2008's most head-scratching and grammatically suspect choruses, now familiar to anyone who has spent time with rock radio recently: "Are we human / or are we dancer?"

"I love the challenge of playing to naysayers," drummer Vannucci said. "I love that I can drive it home and make believers out of people."

"There's a big misconception that you can't be artistic or sophisticated and be big," Flowers said. "We should be praised for being on alternative radio and pop radio and doing the things that we do. It's not like anything else."