Brandon Flowers
The Desired Effect
ISLAND
6/10
Straying from the path paved as the frontman of a world-renowned band is not an easy task, especially with a distinguished voice like Brandon Flowers’s. Where 2010’s Flamingo felt like a scattered and cringe-worthy debut trying too many things at once, The Desired Effect successfully establishes Flowers as a solo artist worthy of acclaim in his own right. He maintains the infectious hooks and radio-friendly qualities that make The Killers so memorable, but avoids the over-the-top, arena-rock tendencies that have plagued the band’s career since 2006’s Sam’s Town. The Desired Effect oozes with Flowers’s charisma and overly hopeful lyrics, resulting in massively catchy ’80s-inspired anthems (“I Can Change,” Bronski Beat sample included), breezy grooves (“Still Want You”), and rollicking tunes (“Diggin’ Up the Heart”). Complete with glimmering synths and twinkling keys, this is a light-hearted record that finds a relaxed and fun Flowers happily expressing himself before the next Killers galaxy tour.
