via//chicago

np: "Revelry" - Kings of Leon

If my ill-timed* post on Black Stone Cherry served as any indication, you'll know that I'll indulge in some southern-friend rock and roll from time to time. There's just something about Southern boys, their guitars, and their swampy stomp that pushes the right musical buttons. Oftentimes it is very, very bad - but when a band fires on all cylinders it can be downright great rock and roll. This approach is what first brought Kings of Leon to my attention way back in 2003 with their debut EP, Holy Roller Novocaine. Their blustery, whiskey-soaked and organ-drenched version of old-fashioned rock and roll sounded great to my ears, most notably on "Molly's Chambers" and "California Waiting". So I was pleased when their follow-up, Youth and Young Manhood, mostly lived up to the promise of that first EP. Most of the band's press buzz seemed to center around their family ties and unusual upbringing, but I could give a shit about that - they brought the songs.

The sophmore set, Aha Shake Heartbreak, brought a few new twists in the bands sound and managed to ensure their position as mega-stars over in the UK (something I still don't quite understand, but I'm truly happy for them - I wish they'd find similar success over here). My favorite track on that album was the ferocious "Four Kicks", one of the most blistering cocksure rawk swaggers I've ever heard. Those 2 minutes and 9 seconds still get me fired up. Third album Because of the Times became their first UK number one, increasingly their overseas profile while garnering subdued approval over here. This was when the guys started stretching their legs out a bit and hinted at some new horizons. I continued to be impressed with the significant growth these guys were showing from album to album.

So I was eagerly awaiting the band's fourth full-length, Only By The Night. And, much like the two before it, the band is again displaying a serious leap in songwriting abilities. The southern aspects of their particular strain of rock have almost been completely removed, turning towards a colder, more urban sound that suits them surprisingly well. After the first listen, I was thinking this sounds like Kings of Leon ditching the farm for the big city lights and learning that they aren't quite as bright as they might have seemed from the distance. While they are still peppering their tunes with liberal references to sex, drugs and the rock and roll lifestyle; everything seems much more muted than usual and wrapped in the gauze of detached observance rather than true decadence. The whole mood falls somewhere between Interpol and The Walkmen, which isn't the bad thing you might think. But what works most for me, and comes as the biggest surprise, is that lead singer Caleb Followill is no longer mumbling his lyrics under layers of fuzz and distortion. His resigned crooning takes front and center stage, propped up by the minimal instrumentation rather than buried by it. And he sounds absolutely fantastic. I've always loved his voice, but he is absolutely stunning on this one. The melodies are familiar and inviting, making up for the lack of fiery guitar showmanship. These lines are subtle and charming, rather than reckless and carefree. Kings of Leon are, dare I pull out that time-tested cliche, maturing. It's a great album and an impressive turn for the band. Check 'em out:

Kings of Leon - "Use Somebody" (taken from Only By The Night)
Kings of Leon - "Revelry" (taken from Only By The Night)

(* - I say "ill-timed" because, upon a couple further spins, that album wasn't even as good as I originally thought. The lyrics are really, really hard for me to get past and the arrangements aren't nearly as inventive as I'd like them to be. There are still a few tunes worth a spin or two and splashes of potential, but the disc isn't worth going out of your way to hear.)