After six years, the creative force of The Killers, Brandon Flowers has branched out with his solo debut, “Flamingo.” The album has a Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen feel — if they grew up in Las Vegas and started an indie rock band. 

   The album kicks off with “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas,” which starts off with a nice slow pace and builds into an anthem inviting everyone to come and enjoy Flowers’ hometown. 

   Flowers follows with “Only the Young,” packed with heavy vocal effects to contrast the smooth, popish beat. The song plays well and is easily an indie rock hit.  

   “Was It Something I Said?” is the next stand-out and really draws the Bill Joel comparison with its heavy piano, catchy chorus and lyrical story telling. 

   Following that is the album’s first single, “Crossfire.” The song is straight out of The Killers’s playbook and could easily slide into their “Sam’s Town” album with its descriptive lyrics.  

   The next song to stick out is “Swallow It” and is the best song on the album. The chorus is creative and sticks in your head very easily. An instrumental pace change compliments Flowers’ vocals well. 

   “Flamingo” wasn’t just Flowers doing what he does best repetitively. He was able to branch out into country with “The Clock Was Tickin.’ ” The song has a classic southern feel and blue-collar lyrics while fitting into Flowers’s style and the rest of the album. Flowers succeeded in setting himself apart from the work of The Killers and put more of his personality in the songs. The Vegas feel throughout the album aids the hooks that you’ll find yourself playing over in your head.