I have been a fan of Brandon Flowers for many years. From his beginnings as the frontman of The Killers, who came to fame around the time I was fifteen or sixteen. I remember when they were on the cover of SPIN in 2005. I cut out basically every picture in that issue and read their cover story over and over. I loved their first album, but lost interest in their next few, I’m not quite sure why. Despite being much more interested in other bands, I still had a soft spot for Brandon Flowers. He just seemed to have this charisma that only a frontman can have (and even then, it doesn’t grace them all). I’ve followed his growth both musically and personally over the years, and have to say I’m really proud of where he is now. I remember when I read that article ten years ago, he was just a young 20-something kid who was enjoying his rise to fame. Now, all these years later, his maturity as a person is very clear in his interviews and his music too. It’s nice to see someone get through those years with some talent left and still have opportunities to share it.
Flowers’s second solo album, The Desired Effect, was released officially today, and ever since I got the final songs on Sunday, I have been listening to it non-stop. As you may have noticed from my last couple of monthly playlists, I’ve been loving the singles like “Can’t Deny My Love” and “Still Want You”. While Flamingo was very much like a Killers album without the rest of the band, The Desired Effect is an obvious departure. Obviously, Flowers still has his easily recognized voice, but there’s something different.
Starting with the upbeat “Dreams Come True” and “Can’t Deny My Love”, this album helps you to start your day off right. With softer melodies like “Between Me and You” and “Never Get You Right”, I’m reminded of Flowers’s songwriting ability and of how music really can change your life. Just listen to the last half of “The Way It’s Always Been” and tell me that trumpet sequence doesn’t get you right in the feels.
Have you picked up the new album yet? What’s your favourite song?
