Brandon Flowers' Country Move 'Thrasher'
Rolling Stone • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Brandon Flowers, frontman of the Killers, has released his third solo album, a full-fledged country record inspired by his Utah youth and artists like Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash.
- The album features contributions from notable musicians such as guitarist David Rawlings and harmonica legend Charlie McCoy, linking it to Nashville's rich musical heritage.
- Flowers' vocal style remains dramatic and powerful, blending sweeping Americana themes with a mix of country and rock elements, including standout tracks like “Red Ground” and “Tiger’s Blood.”
- However, some songs on the album veer into heavy-handed realism and clichéd storytelling, lacking the strength or self-awareness to fully succeed in their epic ambitions.
- Overall, the album showcases Flowers' attempt at rhinestone reinvention but struggles with balancing melodrama and humor in its more ambitious narrative moments.
