Well I’ve been anticipating this album for quite sometime now! Since The Killers lead singer has been dropping singles every week on Spotify I’ve had a massive ‘desire’ of my own to finally hear this 2nd solo work in full.
The Killers went through some different phases of influence and sound. From the very western rock themed “Sam’s Town” (which Flowers said would be one of the greatest albums in the last 20 years) to the much more electro-pop “Day & Age” and back again to a Skynard sounding “Battle Born” in 2012 the band delivered a few solid singles but something must be missing for front man Brandon Flowers.
His quiet first solo release “Flamingo” in 2010 didn’t lend much to fans. There was no consistency, no anthems and only one decent single “Crossfire” which was a chart missing ballad but was strong nonetheless. With “The Desired Effect” Flowers showcases his fragile vocals and spirited love of 80’s synth pop. There are some awesome dance songs on this album which any Killers/ Flowers fan can appreciate. Regardless of the reported difficulty of working with producer Ariel Rechtshaid (who’s most recently worked with Haim) “The Desired Effect” is a solid album for Flowers. The only concern I find is the way the tracks were laid out. All the catchy songs with solid beats are at the beginning while the more poetic slow-jams end the album. Either way I’m glad its finally out and I’m happier that there is a tour coming with it!!
Give the album a listen and click the link below for tour dates!
Key tracks:
Can’t Deny My Love
I Can Change
I Still Want You
TOUR DATES:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/Brandon-Flowers-tickets/artist/1490282#artist_table_focus
-Kevin Charles Ross