Kings of Leon – Only By the Night
I was very pleasantly surprised by the last Kings of Leon album, when they seemed to find some genuine bite, which gave their music a welcome boost in my estimation. Their first couple of albums were very enjoyable, although given how similar Aha Shake Heartbreak was to Youth & Young Manhood, I was very much ready to hear something different and I think Because of the Times delivered it.
This record continues in a similar vein to its direct predecessor, with a bit more snarl to the opening tracks, but seems to lose its way a little after that. Use Somebody is pretty rotten, sounding more like dismal classic rock than anything at all edgy or interesting.
The rest of the album continues to dance this coy little dance with us, with Revelry and 17 (do not listen to the words if you want to enjoy this one, they’re more than a little creepy) both good, but there are a few too many aimless drifts into some sort of soft/classic/borderline glam rock netherworld for me to really enjoy the album as a whole.
It’s the dubious territory inhabited by the bad songs which seems to overtake the enjoyment of the good ones, and somehow I find myself really not liking this record, despite liking quite a few songs off it. If they’d erred on the site of vitriol and energy I might have been less put off.
Kings of Leon – Closer
Kings of Leon – Revelry
Closer is a close relative of the New Adventures In Hi-Fi version of Leave, isn’t it?
I can see how you’d say they were related, but I think Closer is only a fraction as good.
It’s like the idiot cousin.
Yeah, that is somewhat my thoughts on the new record as well. It really did not grab me at all, which was a little surprising, given how much I like the two previous albums.
Yeah, it’s weird because they seemed to have made a really good step forward with the last one, and although they do a lot of the same things on this album they seem to do them all so much less well, which is really disappointing.
I preferred their first two to the last and was inclined not to buy this one. I’m wavering as when these guys are good they are really good. The two tracks you’ve posted are pretty damn good. Torn.
I’d be cautious – go the Hype Machine (linked above under ‘More mp3s’) and their MySpace and preview as much as you can. There’s no need to take too many risks buying music these days because you can preview such a lot.
I wouldn’t be cautious. I didn’t particularly love the first 2 albums but I did enjoy them. I love Because of the Times. I think it’s the one album that everyone in the Kays actually agrees on. It’s brilliant. But for me it was more serious, more mature and took them to a new place musically. I haven’t disected the album as yet but what I have heard sounds like more of the same. Whether that’s a bad thing or a good thing I don’t know but I try to keep one thing in mind with the Ks of L and that’s that it’s good time music. It’s fun. It’s unpretentious and usually really enjoyable. It’s certainly not a wasted tenner.
Well I agree with you completely on the first three records – all good, with Because of the Times being properly good rather than just really enjoyable. But this is like Beacuse of the Times with a lot of the edge removed and gone a little bit soft in the middle so, without wishing to contradict you Euan, I would recommend caution.
I downloaded Kings of Leon at the same time as Death Magnetic by Metallica ……then i listened to Death Magnetic first and haven’t stopped listening to it since……it’s awesome….so come on Matthew….where’s your review of the new Metallica opus?
Downloaded? DOWNLOADED??
Take my review of the new New Kids on the Block opus and replace any instance of the phrase New Kids, KKotB or New Kids on the Block with either Metallica, or those screamingly pretentious idiots with stupid facial topiary and you’re be pretty much there.
yeah in the same way that bodies download your show (i was going to say ego fest….but that came across a bit harsh, and since i genuinely like you, i decided against it)….go on listen to Death Magnetic and give the masses your heart felt views!!!!
I think I just worked out which ‘Tom’ it is.
No one else can make the words ‘since I genuinely like you’ sound so threatening.
Is it Tom Baker from Doctor Who?
no i’m not Mr Baker…..i’m only 3/4′s as cool as him….
plus, I don’t imagine Tom Baker being too big a Metallica fan.
Tom Selleck?
i can’t believe you took this long to figure out which Tom it was. I figured it out with the “Micah P Hinson is shite” rant.
but metallica?? seriously? please don’t matthew. don’t even do it as a joke.
Tom Cruise?
here’s a clue
Ah, Tom Clancy.
the author or the folk musician?
The legend!
I still think it’s Tom Baker from Doctor Who.
He would make the phrase ’since I genuinely like you’ sound threatening.
“I genuinely like you and believe me I honestly regret having to sacrifice you to the gods of the Great Zargon, Imperial Inquisitor for His Majesty King Blagparp of Arkyelp, but unfortunately that’s just intergalactic diplomacy for you. Good bye.”
….Come to STB/eagleowl show tonight and all will be revealed….i’ll be standing at the back with the hat and long scarf, i’ll also have a book about espionage under one arm and a banjo under the other arm…
We are legion and we are many…
We are Everytom.