Brandon Flowers, the lead frontman for The Killers, recently released his debut solo album, Flamingo, which went straight to No 1 on Britain's album charts. Flowers originally wrote Flamingo for The Killers, but recorded it himself after they went on hiatus. The result is reminiscent of the band's sound, although with a much more personal touch. Opener Welcome to Las Vegas, a tribute to Flowers' hometown, is a likeable, if unimaginative pop anthem. His sincerity makes up for its rather cliched lyrics. Hard Enough is a charming love duet with RiloKiley's Jenny Lewis, and perhaps the highlight of the album. A delightful scattering of piano perfectly complements their voices. The lyrics are a little stale, but the grip on tempo and beat is impressive. The first single from the album, Crossfire, starts slowly but picks up to become a decent heartland rock song. Still, you can't shake the feeling that it could have been so much better. Ultimately, Flamingo never wows, and remains just short of a truly good album. Flowers sings easily within his comfort zone, churning out unremarkable tunes with unremarkable lyrics. But every song is a solid piece of work, with only the occasional cringe at what Flowers has to say.
