Let’s be honest, a solo effort from Brandon Flowers was always going to swing one of two ways. It was either going to revert us back to a time when he displayed the unadulterated genius of 'Mr. Brightside', or instead leave us with a rather unsatisfying continuation of The Killers’ more recent and mediocre material. So which is it to be? As a fan of The Killers since the very early days, nobody wanted to love their leader’s solo effort more than myself, so it rather pains me to say that the only thing I was left feeling after listening to the ten tracks on Flamingo was a sense of rather unaffected nonchalance.
'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas' opens the album, whereby Flowers croons about the delights of hookers, gambling and neon lights. Interesting approach for a married Mormon to take, but there’s no time to ponder this as the striking similarity in building piano crescendos and the lyrical embracing of a town in the fashion that The Killers’ second album also begins proves far too great a distraction. Lead single 'Crossfire' is one of the better tracks on the record with its catchy bridge and chorus, though once again the chimes that resonate throughout prove more than just slightly similar to previous Killers tracks. Whilst the singer’s love affair with synths remains apparent, the electro-pop vibe that once dominated his style has taken a back seat to give way to a more earthy, Southern sound. The production of Flowers’ solo material is noticeably stripped back, with loitering vocals, staunch piano chords and acoustic guitars taking presedence to create a less processed feel. However, fans hoping for a slice of his more traditionally buoyant style needn’t despair entirely, as 'Was It Something I Said?' provides a welcome (albeit temporary) change in pace before the more organic sound resumes once more.
Flamingo isn’t a bad album, and the fact that the UK tour planned in support has already entirely sold out demonstrates the fact that Flowers’ established name is enough of a pull despite how the record is received both critically and comercially. This latest effort is certainly listenable and the familiarity of the singer’s wavering twang fans the embers of The Killers’ flame flickering deep down inside you. However, solo ventures are usually veiwed as an opportunity to highlight the talent of a lead singer without the backing of his usual motley crew and this seems to have been completely missed. The overall tone of Flamingo resembles that of The Killers’ Sam’s Town and Day And Age to such an extent that you can’t help but wonder how the rest of the band usually have an effect if Flowers alone sounds little different. This was Brandon’s time to shine as brightly as the Vegas illuminations that he grew up with, but sadly what’s presented is little more than the glare of a few uniform street lights.
This review was originally published on www.culturedeluxe.com
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