Island

Informed by the dusty, neon-lit desert that he calls home, Brandon Flowers’ debut solo effort is an ambitious homage to the lusty wasteland of Sin City. Abandoning his signature cinematic synth-pop, Flamingo finds The Killers frontman opting for a modern iteration of rhinestone-studded Americana that morphs from anthemic stadium rock to gospel-laden rootsy ballads, and elegant frontier ditties. The sprawling opener, “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas,” is a debased and satirical love letter to the glitter-encrusted perversion of the American dream found in his excess-riddled hometown. The punchy guitars and toe tap-inducing power pop of “Jilted Lovers and Broken Hearts” is like a modern-day dandy finding his inner Springsteen, while the earnest songwriting of “Only the Young” is Flowers at his heart-on-sleeve best.