CD Review: Brandon Flowers

Few salvageable songs on solo debut from Killers frontman

Posted on Sept. 26, 2010, at 10:54 p.m.

With The Killers on hiatus for who knows how long, fans were thrilled to hear that lead singer Brandon Flowers was putting out a solo album. But with excitement came trepidation. Could Flowers blossom without his band of Las Vegas brethren?

On first listen, the tracks on “Flamingo” blend together for 56 minutes of mostly forgettable music. The majority of the songs follow the same blueprint-mid-tempo with an up-tempo chorus that is heavy on guitar and drums.

Even with the overall “blah”ness of “Flamingo,” there are some tracks that merit a second chance. Debut single “Only the Young” is more ear-catching and sounds the most like The Killers. “Only the Young” is brimming with synthesizers and keys, and has an anthemic rhythm made for fans to sway their arms and clap their hands to.

The best and worst moments of this album materialize approximately 40 seconds away from each other in “Playing with Fire.” The song starts with a solid one minute and 25 second instrumental. This intro is mysterious and sexy, with heavy drumbeats and a hint of Spanish guitar. The seductive melody sounds like it is straight out of a classic James Bond film — the perfect accompaniment to each scene when Bond “gets” the girl.

A song with an opening as awesome as “Playing with Fire” should only get better as it progresses, but not this one. After 40 seconds of competent singing, Flowers’ vocals go to hell in a hand basket. When he hits the chorus, a piercing screech replaces his usual falsetto. All images of a dangerous spy are shattered by a sound not unlike dueling cats.

The album is littered with nods to Sin City, most obviously the opening track “Welcome to Las Vegas” — a song overflowing with cliché after cliché. The chorus asks, “Didn’t nobody tell you the house always wins?” but the song gets too lost in lines about neon lights and lady luck to succeed.

Flowers went for a more simple sound on songs like “Jacksonville” and “On the Floor,” easing off the heavy synth usually accompanying his vocals. The results were lackluster. Instead of highlighting his unique voice, the unadorned tracks sound hollow and empty.

A guest vocalist as spectacular and current as Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis couldn’t quite get “Flamingo” to take flight. Lewis and Flowers weave their sounds together well enough, but she never gets to do more than act as his background singer.

“Flamingo” would seem a wise title choice because it both highlights Flowers’ flamboyant personality and pays homage to the city that inspired him. Sadly, the album is more of an ugly duckling.

Grade: D

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 26th, 2010, 10:54 pm. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.