The Desired Effect is the second studio album by American artist Brandon Flowers, known primarily for his work as lead singer of The Killers. Released on May 15, 2015, the album was preceded by four singles:
The Desired Effect finds Flowers collaborating with Ariel Rechtshaid for the first time. The pair chart a path from Flowers' Flamingo sound to a new, 80s-esque electro-pop feel. Tracks such as “Lonely Town” and “I Can Change” blend Flowers' lyrical strengths with blaring synths with great (and desired) effect.
The album received generally favourable reviews from critics, with Rolling Stone calling it “the best straight-up pop album made by a rock star in recent memory.”
In an interview with SPIN magazine, Flowers said of the album, “I wanted to embrace where I am in my life and I feel like if I’m honest, it’s got to impact and resonate with people. So “Between You and Me,” I feel like it’s not really talked about a lot, the responsibilities and the pressures that can be on a man to raise a family and to be the leader of the family. So it was new territory for me, and I’m really happy with the way it turned out.”