I’ve had a whole week enjoying the new Kings of Leon album – and it is an absolute corker.
By the time I post this – I fully expect them to be number one (yep – they are) with ‘Sex on Fire’ and so this album will be eagerly awaited.
This is a monster of an album – a spaced out desert sound – loads of reverb and squealing guitars. Super vocals from Caleb Followill, and ample backing from the rest of the brothers.
In a nutshell – buy this album, you won’t be disappointed – I’d love your opinion if you’ve heard this – I’m new to the Kings of Leon in detail, so what should I listen to next?
For a track by track, click more
The album opens with the malevolent sounding ‘Closer’, the sound is instantly dark and brooding, with a simple melody being repeated and forming the foundation of a swirling track – great way to start a CD.
‘Crawl’ is probably the closest to the Kings of Leon that I heard before, and wasn’t 100% sure about – but this is another cool track, followed by ‘Sex on Fire’ which is going to call a lot of attention to this band.
‘Use Somebody’ will probably be a future single – radio-friendly, with a really accessible chant along chorus. ‘Manhattan’ is a much more mellow affair, I guess the closest to a ballad – I absolutely love the middle eight on this, the guitar sounds awesome and the drums remind me of the kind of loose breaks that Reni might play.
‘Revelry’ is the highlight of the album for me, awesome vocals – and great lyrics.
on a run, baby, run
like a stream down a mountainside
with the wind in my back
i don’t ever even bat an eye
just know it was you all along
who had a hole in my heart
but the demon in me
was the best of friends from the startso the time we shared
it was precious to me
all a while i was dreaming of revelry
dreaming of revelry
‘17’ has some interesting sounding chimes in the melody, strong song writing and superb vocals. ‘Notion’ reminds me a little of a Killers track, I can’t work out which one…but it’ll come to me – all pianos and ‘reverbed’ guitars.
Next up is ‘I want you’ – a louche, laid back track which sounds like an anthem to meeting a hot girl in a bar and ‘Be Somebody’ – sounds again like the Killers a little bit, but I love the drums on this.
The album finishes out with ‘Cold Desert’ – which is really another superb track, with superb vocals and excellent lyrics – a stand out line:
Hand over your heart – lets go home…
Which seems appropriate as the track fades once, then twice…a great album and destined to be in a lot of end of year lists.
