Brandon Flowers is stepping back into the scene as a solo artist with the announcement of his forthcoming album Thrasher.
This is The Killers frontman’s first solo project in more than a decade. On Tuesday (June 23), Flowers revealed that the 10-track project will arrive Aug. 21 via Island Records. This marks his first solo full-length release since 2015’s The Desired Effect. Alongside the announcement, Flowers confirmed that the album’s lead single, “Plans,” will be released Friday.
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According to a press release, the album explores family relationships, loss, memory and life in a small town through a collection of songs. Several tracks are inspired directly by Flowers’ personal experiences, including reflections on loved ones, childhood memories, and the picturesque landscapes that formed him long before he achieved international success.
Thrasher traces its roots to earlier moments in Flowers’ life, when he lived in Nephi, Utah, during his childhood before eventually fronting one of rock’s most iconic bands. In the press release, Flowers reveals that he drew inspiration from the music he grew up hearing with his father, including classic country storytellers such as Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found my way back to my father’s music — ‘Country-Western’ (as he called it) — and discovered that the stories I carry really feel most at home in the skin of this beautiful American tradition,” Flowers said in a statement.
In the official album trailer, Flowers is seen taking a scenic drive in his car and revisiting places that connect him to his roots in Utah. In the video, he explains the reason for releasing Thrasher, making it clear that he’s not shying away from the genre that made him famous, but rather experimenting with others.
“This is not me running away from rock and roll. I don’t want to replace my old songs. I simply found room for more,” he says in the video.
Recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, Thrasher reveals Flowers’ affinity for country and Americana influences, which have been modestly threaded through his songwriting for years. Produced by Shawn Everett and Jonathan Rado, who are longtime collaborators, the album also features contributions from guitarist David Rawlings, pedal steel player Bruce Bouton and harmonica player Charlie McCoy.
Thrasher track list:
- Does It Ever Cross Your Mind?
- One Of Us
- Tiger’s Blood
- Plans
- Paradise
- Miss America
- Angel
- The Red Ground
- In A Heartbeat
- An American Dream
Watch the trailer for Thrasher:
