Flamingo

The embodiment of Brandon Flowers’ ideas does not disappoint

It has been nine years since one of the present days’ most successful indie bands The Killers was formed. At that time the band’s front man Brandon Flowers who grew up listening to English collectives such as Depeche Mode, New Order, The Smiths and Pet Shop Boys did not yet know that his dream to become a rock musician would come true in such a big way. He had that dream when he went to an Oasis concert, that’s why one can come across the shades of Brit-pop in The Killers’ music as well as those of rock’n’roll and classic rock which Brandon would listen to when a youngster. The musicians have worked without a moment’s rest during the last six years, and this January they have announced a hiatus after their world tour supporting the album Day & Age is over. In April already Brandon Flowers told his fans about a soon release of his debut solo album Flamingo. No doubt, this release confirms that Brandon has a lot of ideas in store that are worth being realized, and their embodiment definitely does not disappoint.

The good old soulful rock prevails on Flamingo

It is no secret that Brandon played in a synth-pop band before The Killers, and the experience was not in vain – there are a lot of its traces on Flamingo though the prevailing genre is of course the good old soulful rock. Together with producers Daniel Lanois, Brendan O'Brien and Stuart Price Flowers has recorded a great collection of 10 compositions, and the Deluxe Edition also includes four extra tracks. Besides, Rilo Kiley’s vocalist Jenny Lewis and The Killers’ drummer Ronnie Vannucci also appear on the record. On the whole, Flamingo can be considered rather a conceptual album – its main themes are faith (Flowers is one of the famous Mormons) and faithfulness of those who love each other. There are both slow and more impetuous tracks on the album, aggressive and soft, each with its own idea and atmosphere. The record opens with a very melodious track Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas on which Brandon tells his views on his native town: it resembles a test when a person is surrounded by the good and the risk to loose everything, dangerous temptations, but angels live there for sure. The official play-list closes with an unusual song Swallow It with a beautiful guitar accompaniment and unexpectedly monotonous manner of performance interrupted by a vivid falsetto chorus. The composition Only The Young is refined with space synthesizer sounds and high notes in Flower’s vocals, and the longest track Playing With Fire (lasting almost 6 minutes) is an epic piece with an introduction, climax and conclusion and one of the best examples of Brandon Flowers’ faultless vocals. The most unusual number is Was It Something I Said? – the story is told on behalf of a woman trying to figure out why the relationship did not work and who is to blame.

A real triumph

As a matter of fact the rumors about The Killers’ front man’s solo record started to spread late last year but nobody confirmed them at that time, and now Flowers is confidently starting his solo career from a very solid work that Flamingo has proved to be. Brandon sings on his debut album just the way he sang at the very beginning of his rock star story – without any self-consciousness, putting all his power in the vocals and filling it with the strongest emotions. It goes without saying that these varied compositions have one thing in common: they are all performed by a person who has finally composed all the songs about himself, his personal feelings which is impossible to do when you are a part of a team. Now Flowers’ notable individuality, his unique style not only in performing but in his clothes as well have united into one integral image of a very strong, stylish and interesting persona. We do not know what will follow first, The Killers’ fourth record or Brandon’s sophomore solo effort, and it does not matter because he has put all of himself into Flamingo and that a real triumph.