Brandon Flowers "Flamingo"

So the Killers' front man steps out for a solo project.  Was anybody really surprised in light of this guy's ego?  He is the prime feature of one of the decade's international success stories.  I never grew to like "Sam's Town" but I liked the tracks that didn't make it that were later included on "Sawdust."  And they did not impress me in concert, basically playing "Hot Fuss" note for note.  But there was something about the songs wrapped in that 80's synth-pop-with-guitars sound that was as contagious as a common cold. 

Flowers isn't the greatest singer alive, but I do believe he has improved over the years.  Here, he comes off on a couple of tracks like Roy Orbison.  I realize that will offend some of you but I wasn't a fan of that high-pitched warbling.  Any number of effects and treatments are used to create different vocal patterns, one time coming off like some Cheap Trick harmonies.  Certainly having one of the greatest producers of our time, Daniel Lanois, manning the console is a big positive.  Also on board is Brendan O'Brien, who has worked with the biggest rock names in the biz for the past two decades.  But make no mistake, this is not just a rock album, much less a Killers record.  True, there are a couple of tracks that would be killer Killers, but there is also a great little country story and a gospel-tinged track featuring the Las Vegas Mass Choir!  Another pair of songs are immediately danceable, one charting as high as #3 on the Dance charts. 

Las Vegas is the theme of this entire record, and I've heard of Flowers being called the "Desert Springsteen."  Based on the songwriting chops I'll agree with that analogy to a degree, but I can't fathom how some people make comparisons with Bono.  Anyway, "Flamingo" isn't as cheesy as your typical Killers album and it's missing some of the guitars in favor of keys, but I like the variety of styles.  It is like a Killers record in that it gets better with every listen, making it difficult to remove from the player.