Brandon Flowers, The Desired Effect

BRANDON FLOWERS, THE DESIRED EFFECT

I was beyond excited a month or two ago as I happened to be in the car when my Dad tuned into Radio 2, and who should the lovely Jo Whiley be interviewing on her brilliant evening show but one of my absolute favourite musicians, the incredible Killers frontman Brandon Flowers. I've had a thing for Brandon Flowers since 2009 when I discovered The Killers album 'Day & Age' (one of my all time fave albums), at aged fifteen years old, which subsequently went on to change my life completely, crazy as it sounds. When I discovered that album I was young and impressionable and yearning to explore the realms of the music world but didn't really know how or where to start. The Killers provided me with that gateway, the path that lead to this massive and ever fruitful and glorious discovery of music that I've never strayed from since, and if it wasn't for them I would probably have ended up listening to The Jonas Brothers forever and ever the end. See what I mean about changing my life? Anyhow ever since 'Day & Age' I've been in constant awe of Brandon Flowers and followed his musical progression closely, always trusting of whatever venture he brings out next as in my eyes he can't ever really do no wrong, and so when I heard on said Jo Whiley show that he was going to be bringing out a second solo album, I was ridiculously excited to hear it.

When the album in question, 'The Desired Effect' (2015), was released on May 15th, the reviews that came pouring in were so gushing and full of praise that I knew I'd have to get my hands on it sometime in the very near future, especially after falling completely in love with the first release off the album 'Can't Deny My Love', but I didn't quite expect to be getting my hands on it so soon. Nor did I expect to subsequently be able to write a review that's actually kind of current and relevant either, but here we are thanks to my absolute darling of a sister who bought 'The Desired Effect' for my birthday without me having any clue at all. And now it's with absolute joy and pleasure that I get to share with you my own gushing review of Brandon's second solo album, because uuuughhhhhhhh this album is literally just insane. If you liked Brandon's first solo album 'Flamingo' (2010) which was rather fabulous with some gorgeous little gems like the beautiful 'Crossfire', 'Jilted Lovers & Broken Hearts' and 'Was It Something I Said', then I promise you 'The Desired Effect' is going to completely blow your mind.

People have been raving about 'The Desired Effect' for the last couple of weeks, enthusiastically singing its praises, and so naturally I was curious to see if the album would actually meet the high expectations I had begun to accumulate, but honestly I was worrying for nothing because Brandon exceeded those expectations completely. He's truly outdone himself with 'The Desired Effect' and writing a review that does this album justice is an unbelievably hard task. If all I wrote was five words that simply said 'listen to this album now' that would be more than enough, but because my love for this album is so strong and ever growing, I'm going to try and convert into a stream of passionate words all the feelings swirling within me as I listen to the album on repeat. If I had to sum up 'The Desired Effect' in two words, it would be pure magic because that's exactly what it is, simply magical. I've never heard anything like it before and doubt I will again. With a strong eighties influence that captures the beautiful transcendent, futuristic, intergalactic almost notion that colours most of the music produced in that era, gorgeously intertwined with dashes of electro, pulsating percussion, a captivating mirage of instrumentals and sound effects, this album is truly one of a kind and an absolute treat for the ears. It sparkles, glitters and pines with a throbbing energy that picks you up for the mesmerizing ride instantly as soon as opener 'Dreams Come True' begins, right up until the majestic closer 'The Way It's Always Been', ten musical masterpieces later. Brandon's lyrics are simple yet introspective, stunning, whilst his vocals soar with hope, ache with emotion, crusade across your being and transport you to this bizarre, wonderful, brilliant stratosphere where 'The Desired Effect' lives, breathes, dazzles. 

Every single thing about this album is perfection. How on earth do I fault it I have no idea. I don't have it within me at all, especially with my adoration growing with every single replay (of which there have been about twenty in the last hour), and if this feeling of absolute perplexity and enlightenment in the best way possible, is the said desired effect that Brandon envisioned when writing, producing and crafting this masterpiece of an album, then by god he's more than succeeded. 'The Desired Effect' is easily going to go down as one of my absolute favourite albums, and I just know that I'll still be marvelling in awe at it ten, twenty, thirty years down the line and most definitely even longer, as will the millions of other people who have helped Brandon reach the deserving place of number one yet again. So as I end my own short but gushing review, I feel the most fitting way to conclude is by leaving you with those five words I mentioned earlier, because I feel they say it all: LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM NOW 

-The Desired Effect is available now and can be purchased via this link :)-