Brandon Flowers is going in a different direction for his latest solo album.
The Killers frontman and Utah native’s new album, “Thrasher,” was released Friday, and represents his first foray into country music.
Here’s what Flowers has said about his move to country, as well as what critics and fans have to say about the new album.
What Brandon Flowers is saying about his new album ‘Thrasher’
Flowers has called the album a “personal” one, centered around his experiences growing up in Nephi, Utah. The Killers’ 2021 album “Pressure Machine” also drew inspiration from small-town Utah, but Flowers said “Thrasher” takes it a step further.
“I enjoyed making ‘Pressure Machine’ so much that I didn’t want to leave,” Flowers told music and culture magazine NME. “I didn’t think that this should be a Killers record, so I zeroed in even more. Where ‘Pressure Machine’ was centered around Nephi, Utah, and all those stories were taking place within the town, this one is even more personal. I’m zeroing in on my inner circle. That’s how I see it.”
Some of the songs on the album are inspired by his family members, including “One of Us,” which is a tribute to his brother-in-law who died unexpectedly several years ago, and “Miss America,” about one of his sisters escaping an abusive relationship, he told NPR.
The song “American Dream” was inspired by a conversation Flowers had with his three teenage sons, he said in an interview with BBC, “because I worry about them comparing themselves to my success.” He added that he has tried to keep his family separate from the effects of fame, noting that success doesn’t necessarily bring happiness.
“My dad didn’t have that, but is he less happy than me? He may even be more happy than I am,” he told BBC.
Flowers’ dad was another major influence on the album, especially in the pivot to country music. Although The Killers are known for their alt rock sound, Flowers grew up listening to classic country artists like Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash with his father, Terry.
“His response when he heard it was, ‘Finally,’” Flowers told People magazine of his dad’s reaction to “Thrasher.” “He’s always wanted me to make country records, and he thinks I’ve got the voice for it and the chops. It was nice to play him the first few songs and watch him light up and start singing along.”
He recorded “Thrasher” in Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, which saw country legends like Dolly Parton record hits like “Jolene.” The album features David Rawlings, a guitarist who is a longtime collaborator with Gillian Welch, and Charlie McCoy, a harmonica player who played on all four of Bob Dylan’s Nashville records, as the Deseret News previously reported.
“There’s that famous Walt Whitman quote — I am large, I contain multitudes,” he told NPR. “And that’s the way that I described it to the fans is that, you know, I’m larger now than I was 20 years ago when I started this band and I was 21 years old. And I’ve just allowed room for these other influences. I would hate to just stick to one road.”
What critics are saying about ‘Thrasher’
Critics’ reception has been mixed so far to “Thrasher.”
The Guardian called the album “a rootin’ tootin’ cowboy-bootin’ hoot” in a four-star (out of five) review. Though reviewer Shaad D’Souza said a couple of Flowers’ songs were swings and misses, overall, “The westernwear suits him.”
NME also gave “Thrasher” four out of five stars, noting that “country music has been oddly in vogue of late, but you can tell Flowers isn’t jumping on the literal bandwagon. ... ‘Thrasher’ comes from a place of authenticity.” The magazine also praised Flowers’ songwriting, adding, “‘Thrasher’ is another signpost of how far Flowers has come as a writer away from the glitz and arena pomp of The Killers.”
Paste magazine, however, disagreed, writing, “On the surface, it’s refreshing to see an artist as seasoned as Flowers step outside his usual modus operandi, but his pivot to country on ‘Thrasher’ feels mostly contrived. It’s always interesting to see artists push the boundaries of what they’re known for and expand their sonic palettes, but experiments are only as good as their execution.”
And Rolling Stone gave the album 2½ out of five stars, saying the album “gets a little lost on the back roads,” later adding, “His brawny rock-opera vocal approach is a bit short on the conversational warmth that makes for truly memorable country singing.”