Brandon Flowers

Flamingo arrived in 2010, with “Crossfire” offering an immediate point of contact for listeners coming from the band. The scale is generous, but the record makes room for a more personal, sometimes reflective delivery. “Only the Young” gives the electronic textures more space, allowing the vocal to sit inside the atmosphere rather than constantly pushing through it.

The album works as a collection of songs rather than a requirement to establish a completely separate identity. Flowers’ phrasing is distinctive enough to provide continuity while the arrangements shift between open, ringing passages and more enclosed rhythmic settings. A little uncertainty in the voice can make the large gestures feel surprisingly close.

The Desired Effect followed in 2015, bringing a particularly vivid pop surface. “Can’t Deny My Love”, “Still Want You” and “I Can Change” offer different entrances to its combination of bright sound and unsettled emotion. The rhythms are more tightly framed, and the details around the vocal give each chorus a distinct colour.

The first two solo albums make a useful pair without needing to be ranked against the Killers. Flamingo leaves more room around the singer’s dramatic instincts; The Desired Effect places them in a denser, highly polished pop world. In both, listen for the slight strain inside the confidence. Flowers is most compelling when a song appears ready to fill an enormous room while the person inside it still seems to be working out what he can safely promise.