Kings of Leon | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Initially embraced as "the Southern Strokes" for their resurrection and reinvention of Dixie-styled rock & roll, Kings of Leon steadily morphed into an experimental rock outfit during the 2000s. The Tennessee-bred quartet debuted in 2003 with the Holy Roller Novocaine EP, whose blend of raw, unpolished boogie rock was further explored on their debut full-length, Youth & Young Manhood. Such revivalist music was matched by a similarly revivalist appearance -- including long hair, mustaches, and tight-fitting denim -- and Kings of Leon experienced immediate popularity in the U.K. (where they would later enjoy platinum album sales, despite an initially lukewarm reception at home). As the band explored different sonic textures with subsequent releases, most notably on 2007s Because of the Times and 2008s Only by the Night, those tenuous links to the Strokes were finally dissolved. Comprised of three Followill brothers -- Caleb (guitar), Nathan (drums), and Jared (bass) -- as well as first cousin Matthew Followill (guitar), Kings of Leon formed in 2000. The Followill siblings had spent their youth traveling across Americas heartland with their evangelist father, decamping at Pentecostal churches and tent revivals for several days at a time before moving onward. When their father resigned from the church and divorced his wife in 1997, the boys relocated to Nashville and embraced the rock music (not to mention the accompanying lifestyle) theyd previously been denied. Cousin Matthew was added to the lineup, and a Southern garage rock sound quickly emerged. RCA took note, signing the band in 2001 and facilitating a partnership with Nashville-based producer Angelo Petraglia, who furthered the bands rock & roll education and co-wrote the material for 2003s Holy Roller Novocaine EP. Tours across North America and the U.K. coincided with the release of the bands full-length debut, Youth & Young Manhood, that same summer. Thanks to the popular single "Mollys Chambers," the album found moderate success in the U.K. However, it was their sophomore effort, 2004s Aha Shake Heartbreak, that made them European stars, with three songs cracking the U.K. charts. The album saw an American release in February 2005, and Kings of Leon toured the country alongside U2 before retreating to work on their third effort. The darker, expansive Because of the Times followed in 2007. Featuring production from Ethan Johns (who had helmed the bands previous releases as well), the album proved to be the bands biggest release to date, debuting at number 25 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and topping the album charts in the U.K., Ireland, and New Zealand. Kings of Leon returned one year later with Only by the Night, a colossally popular album whose lead single, "Sex on Fire," gave the band its first number one hit in the U.K. The album itself fared similarly well, topping the U.K. charts upon its release and debuting at number four in America. It eventually gained platinum status in eight countries, including America, and its success allowed the band to tour heavily throughout much of 2008 and 2009. Live at the O2 was released in late 2009, capturing one of the bands midsummer performances in London. Kings of Leon briefly holed up in Manhattans Avatar Studios to work on a fifth record, but they returned to the road during the summer of 2010, taking the opportunity to play some of their new material in concert. By the time the tour wrapped up in September, the groups newest single, "Radioactive," had already been released. The accompanying album, Come Around Sundown, followed in October. The record was a worldwide hit and reached number one in 15 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. Later that year they embarked on a marathon tour; however, a disastrous show in Texas resulted in frontman Caleb walking off the stage without returning for the end of the set. After this incident, the brothers decided to undertake a self-imposed hiatus in 2011 and canceled the rest of the tour while the band attempted to reconcile their personal and group problems. In the time apart, bassist Jared released music with Mona frontman Nick Brown under the moniker Smoke & Jackal, while Caleb found sobriety after moving to New York and the birth of his son. They returned to the band with a batch of new material and set to work on their sixth record, Mechanical Bull, which appeared in September of 2013. Buoyed by the single "Supersoaker," the album reached number two on the Billboard 200 and garnered a nomination for Best Rock Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. Following the end of the bands 2014-2015 Mechanical Bull tour, Kings of Leon revealed they had already begun work on a follow-up. In 2016, they released their seventh studio album, WALLS. Produced in Los Angeles with Markus Dravs (Florence + the Machine, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons), the album featured the single "Waste a Moment." | ||
 | Album: 1 of 18 Title: Holy Roller Novocaine Released: 2003-02-24 Tracks: 5 Duration: 15:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Molly’s Chambers (02:15) 2 Wasted Time (02:46) 3 California Waiting (03:28) 4 Wicker Chair (03:10) 5 Holy Roller Novocaine (04:01) |
 | Album: 2 of 18 Title: What I Saw Released: 2003-05-26 Tracks: 3 Duration: 09:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Red Morning Light (03:00) 2 Wicker Chair (03:10) 3 Talahina Sky (03:35) |
 | Album: 3 of 18 Title: Youth & Young Manhood Released: 2003-07-23 Tracks: 12 Duration: 41:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Red Morning Light (03:00) 2 Happy Alone (03:59) 3 Wasted Time (02:46) 4 Joe’s Head (03:21) 5 Trani (05:00) 6 California Waiting (03:28) 7 Spiral Staircase (02:55) 8 Molly’s Chambers (02:15) 9 Genius (02:48) 10 Dusty (04:21) 11 Holy Roller Novocaine (04:01) 12 Talihina Sky (03:47) |
| Youth & Young Manhood : Allmusic album Review : The Kings of Leon are the sons of a preacher and their debut album, Youth and Young Manhood, is their hymnal of rock & roll redemption. The brothers (and one cousin) Followill work with producer Ethan Johns for a rattling country-rock hootenanny, basically reviving the deep-fried Southern rock found on the bands first EP, Holy Roller Novocaine. Four of the five cuts featured in that set are included for a second time and theyre nicely seeded in all their honky tonk rowdiness among the bands seven brand new tracks. Launching things off is the swanky "Red Morning Light." Guitarist Matthew Followill immediately establishes himself as a skilled musician, complementing his cousin Calebs coarse-grained drawl. "Joes Head" is the closest the band comes to sounding like Tom Petty and Gregg Allman. "Spiral Staircase" finds Caleb causing trouble Bon Scott-style, while the band hints at some shenanigan-like behavior with some psychedelic pop. Youth and Young Manhood isnt sonically adventurous, but in the new-millennium pop realm, some greasy licks sure sound good. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 18 Title: Aha Shake Heartbreak Released: 2004-10-30 Tracks: 17 Duration: 50:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Slow Night, So Long (03:54) 2 King of the Rodeo (02:25) 3 Taper Jean Girl (03:05) 4 Pistol of Fire (02:20) 5 Milk (04:00) 6 The Bucket (02:55) 7 Soft (02:59) 8 Razz (02:15) 9 Day Old Blues (03:33) 10 Four Kicks (02:09) 11 Velvet Snow (02:11) 12 Rememo (03:22) 1 Taper Jean Girl (03:15) 2 The Bucket (03:07) 3 Soft (03:02) 4 Mollys Chambers (02:45) 5 Four Kicks (02:43) |
| Aha Shake Heartbreak : Allmusic album Review : The mysterious Followill family returns to the front porch/garage on the Kings of Leons engaging sophomore effort, Aha Shake Heartbreak. On Youth & Young Manhood, the Kings gave Southern rock a swift kick in the rear, sounding like Lynyrd Skynyrd posing as a bunch of N.Y.U. film students (or vice versa). For their latest, the Nashville quartet raises a flag thats equal parts Confederate and Union Jack. Their success in the U.K. is understandable, as Caleb Followills lazy drawl sounds like a cross between Bon Scott, Ray Davies, and Eddie Money with a slight Jamaican accent, but its their seamless and agreeable blend of rock & roll, country, and Roky Erickson-style psychedelia, matched with a keen lyrical wit, that makes them fascinating to both sides of the pond. On the twenty-something barfly opener "Slow Night, So Long," Caleb laments/celebrates the soulless dance of the one-night stand ("Shes opened up just like she really knows me/I hate her face, but enjoy the company") like a true student of outlaw country. Its a theme that runs rampant throughout Heartbreak, and whether its set against a swamp-sick boogie ("Pistol of Fire") or emitted through a lonesome yodel ("Day Old Blues"), it resonates as clear and cool as the opening notes of a Creedence Clearwater Revival tune. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 18 Title: Day Old Belgian Blues Released: 2006 Tracks: 6 Duration: 20:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Taper Jean Girl (03:15) 2 The Bucket (03:07) 3 Soft (03:02) 4 Mollys Chambers (02:45) 5 Four Kicks (02:43) 6 Trani (05:42) |
 | Album: 6 of 18 Title: Because of the Times Released: 2007-03-30 Tracks: 13 Duration: 51:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Knocked Up (07:10) 2 Charmer (02:56) 3 On Call (03:22) 4 McFearless (03:09) 5 Black Thumbnail (03:59) 6 My Party (04:10) 7 True Love Way (04:02) 8 Ragoo (03:01) 9 Fans (03:36) 10 The Runner (04:16) 11 Trunk (03:57) 12 Camaro (03:06) 13 Arizona (04:50) |
| Because of the Times : Allmusic album Review : Leaning even further toward a kind of post-punk meets prog rock aesthetic than on their first two albums, Nashville-based Kings of Leon have crafted a darker, less pop-oriented and somewhat cerebral affair with 2007s Because of the Times. In fact, if Alan Parsons lent the Allman Brothers his spaceship, Because of the Times would be the resulting space odyssey. While that leads to some intriguing moments, the general move away from strong, hooky choruses to a focus on expansive, intricate and percussive arrangements may challenge casual and even some longtime fans of the bands catchy, Southern garage rock twang. That said, cuts like the atmospheric and brooding lead-off track "Knocked Up" showcase lead-singer Caleb Followills growing maturity as a singer and lyricist, and bring to mind favorable comparisons to such artists as Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen. Similarly, the moody single "On Call" and the roiling, dramatic "McFearless," while not immediately hummable, do sink into your memory, revealing layers of melody and emotion on repeated listens. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 18 Title: iTunes Live From SoHo Released: 2007-08-21 Tracks: 8 Duration: 30:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Knocked Up (06:40) 2 Charmer (03:04) 3 McFearless (03:08) 4 Slow Night, So Long (03:07) 5 Mollys Chambers (02:35) 6 On Call (03:30) 7 Arizona (04:49) 8 Black Thumbnail (04:00) |
 | Album: 8 of 18 Title: ×2: Youth & Young Manhood / Aha Shake Heartbreak Released: 2008-09-15 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:23:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Red Morning Light (03:00) 2 Happy Alone (03:59) 3 Wasted Time (02:46) 4 Joe’s Head (03:21) 5 Trani (05:00) 6 California Waiting (03:28) 7 Spiral Staircase (02:55) 8 Molly’s Chambers (02:15) 9 Genius (02:48) 10 Dusty (04:21) 11 Holy Roller Novocaine / Talihina Sky (12:08) 1 Slow Night, So Long (03:54) 2 King of the Rodeo (02:25) 3 Taper Jean Girl (03:05) 4 Pistol of Fire (02:20) 5 Milk (04:00) 6 The Bucket (02:55) 7 Soft (02:59) 8 Razz (02:15) 9 Day Old Blues (03:33) 10 Four Kicks (02:09) 11 Velvet Snow (02:11) 12 Rememo (03:22) 13 Where Nobody Knows (02:23) |
 | Album: 9 of 18 Title: Only by the Night Released: 2008-09-19 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Closer (03:57) 2 Crawl (04:06) 3 Sex on Fire (03:23) 4 Use Somebody (03:50) 5 Manhattan (03:24) 6 Revelry (03:21) 7 17 (03:05) 8 Notion (03:00) 9 I Want You (05:07) 10 Be Somebody (03:47) 11 Cold Desert (05:34) |
| Only by the Night : Allmusic album Review : With 2007s Because of the Times, Kings of Leon ventured out of the garage and into the arena. Tracks like "Black Thumbnail" and "Camaro" were bold, anthemic rock songs that built upon the barnyard stomp of Youth & Young Manhood, and Because of the Times topped the U.K. charts upon its debut, officially crowning the Kings as rock & roll royalty in the process. Only by the Night arrived one year later, marking the bands fastest turnaround between albums; it also furthered the epic sound that Times introduced, flaunting a set of ringing guitars and radio-ready melodies that pushed the band away from the Allman Brothers camp. If anything, much of the album took up residence in U2s cathedral, particularly during the one-two-three punch of "Sex on Fire," "Use Somebody," and "Manhattan." Appropriately, Only by the Night became a U2-sized smash on both sides of the Atlantic, selling some six million copies worldwide while firmly pushing the band into the mainstream. Like many big-sounding albums, Only by the Night is a polarizing piece of work, one that targets new fans at the expense of those who wish Kings of Leon had never shaved their beards or discovered post-70s rock. To rope in the skeptics, the strongest tracks are pushed toward the albums first half. "Crawl" flexes the bands rock & roll muscle, melding Led Zeppelin-styled crunch with the experimental guitar buzz of U2s Achtung Baby, while "Sex on Fire" makes up for its goofy title with a meteoric chorus tailored to Calebs voice. (He sounds fantastic throughout the record, even if his vocals continue to be garbled by some untraceable accent, as if hes auditioning for the Jodie Foster role in a Broadway adaptation of Nell.) Rounding out the hit-filled segment are "Use Somebody" and "Manhattan," where Matthew Followill cloaks his guitar riffs in reverb and bassist Jared Followill takes the spotlight sporadically, popping up for quick melodic fills before ducking back into the mix. While past Kings of Leon albums concerned themselves with alcohol, women, and other hedonistic themes, those two songs are nothing but pop/rock grandeur, and Caleb howls their hopeful lyrics like Bonos American-born cousin. Only by the Night focuses on textures and experimentation during the albums latter half, but most songs still deliver some sort of Technicolor melody, from "Notion" (one of the only tracks featuring piano) to the unexpected chorus of "Be Somebody." Taken as a whole, Only by the Night targets the audience that approved Kings of Leons sonic shift in 2007, leaving older fans free to damn these tracks for their consciously grand approach. Yes, the album is often cheesy. Yes, some of the more popular songs lost their luster after endless months of radioplay. But Only by the Night remains a potent Kings of Leon record, and the guys have never defined their ambition so clearly. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 18 Title: Live In London Released: 2008-12-23 Tracks: 5 Duration: 18:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Use Somebody (03:47) 2 On Call (03:30) 3 Sex on Fire (03:28) 4 Crawl (04:24) 5 Manhattan (03:42) |
 | Album: 11 of 18 Title: Boxed Released: 2009-07-06 Tracks: 37 Duration: 2:15:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Red Morning Light (03:00) 2 Happy Alone (03:59) 3 Wasted Time (02:46) 4 Joe’s Head (03:21) 5 Trani (05:00) 6 California Waiting (03:28) 7 Spiral Staircase (02:55) 8 Molly’s Chambers (02:15) 9 Genius (02:48) 10 Dusty (04:21) 11 Holy Roller Novocaine / Talihina Sky (12:08) 1 Slow Night, So Long (03:54) 2 King of the Rodeo (02:25) 3 Taper Jean Girl (03:05) 4 Pistol of Fire (02:20) 5 Milk (04:00) 6 The Bucket (02:55) 7 Soft (02:59) 8 Razz (02:15) 9 Day Old Blues (03:33) 10 Four Kicks (02:09) 11 Velvet Snow (02:11) 12 Rememo (03:22) 13 Where Nobody Knows (02:23) 1 Knocked Up (07:10) 2 Charmer (02:56) 3 On Call (03:22) 4 McFearless (03:09) 5 Black Thumbnail (03:59) 6 My Party (04:10) 7 True Love Way (04:02) 8 Ragoo (03:01) 9 Fans (03:36) 10 The Runner (04:16) 11 Trunk (03:57) 12 Camaro (03:06) 13 Arizona (04:50) |
 | Album: 12 of 18 Title: Notion EP Released: 2009-07-31 Tracks: 5 Duration: 16:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Notion (03:00) 2 Beneath the Surface (02:51) 3 Sex on Fire (live From Cologne) (03:29) 4 Notion (live From Amsterdam) (03:01) 5 The Bucket (CSS remix) (03:45) |
 | Album: 13 of 18 Title: Come Around Sundown Released: 2010-10-15 Tracks: 13 Duration: 47:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The End (04:24) 2 Radioactive (03:26) 3 Pyro (04:10) 4 Mary (03:25) 5 The Face (03:28) 6 The Immortals (03:28) 7 Back Down South (04:01) 8 Beach Side (02:50) 9 No Money (03:05) 10 Pony Up (03:04) 11 Birthday (03:15) 12 Mi amigo (04:06) 13 Pickup Truck (04:44) |
| Come Around Sundown : Allmusic album Review : Kings of Leon have always acted like rock & roll royalty, even before Only by the Night went platinum in 12 different countries. What started off as good-natured posturing turned into the real deal in 2008, though, when “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody” helped redefine the Followill boys as the new champions of arena rock. Gone were the songs about transvestites and coked-up supermodels; in their place were Top 40 anthems that swung for the fences, armed with U2-sized guitar riffs and giant, lighter-hoisting choruses. Releasing that sort of album -- the kind that soccer moms blast in the family minivan -- has its downside, too, and Kings of Leon found themselves struggling to prove that they hadn’t forgotten about their older fans. All of this makes Come Around Sundown the most important album of the band’s career, since it gives Kings of Leon a chance to choose which side of their audience they’d like to keep. The answer? Well, none of these songs are as blatantly commercial as “Use Somebody,” but none have the artsy, Appalachia-meets-London charm of Aha Shake Heartbreak, either. After touring in support of Only by the Night for two years, the guys are acutely aware that loud, booming anthems are the best way to fill a stadium, and Come Around Sundown is engineered to sound as immense as possible. Nowhere is this more evident than in Caleb Followill’s choruses, most of which seem to revolve around sustained high notes, and Matthew Followill’s guitar lines, which split their time between moody textures and cyclic, reverb-heavy riffs. The few diversions from that template are some of the album’s best moments -- “Mary” sweetens the band’s sound with a little doo wop, and “Beach Side” focuses on casting a mood rather than creating a spectacle -- but they’re too scattered to change the "go big or go home" mentality, and the twangy “Back Down South” (which soared during the band’s mid-summer 2010 tour) never quite leaves the ground in its recorded version. All detours aside, this is super-sized, guitar-driven, modern rock pomp, a sort of Only by the Night: The Sequel aimed at those who prefer their KOL songs big and bombastic. Kings of Leon haven’t gotten to the point where “Use Somebody” is their default setting, but it has become their benchmark, and Come Around Sundown attempts to replicate that song’s success while still giving the middle finger to Top 40 radio. Sometimes, it works. Other times, Kings of Leon sound like they’ve flatlined their sound while trying to streamline their appeal. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 18 Title: The Early Vinyl Released: 2011-11-25 Tracks: 50 Duration: 2:41:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Red Morning Light (03:00) 2 Happy Alone (03:59) 3 Wasted Time (02:46) 4 Joe’s Head (03:21) 5 Trani (05:00) 6 California Waiting (03:28) 1 Spiral Staircase (02:55) 2 Molly’s Chambers (02:15) 3 Genius (02:48) 4 Dusty (04:21) 5 Holy Roller Novocaine (04:01) 6 Talihina Sky (03:47) 1 Slow Night, So Long (03:54) 2 King of the Rodeo (02:25) 3 Taper Jean Girl (03:05) 4 Pistol of Fire (02:20) 5 Milk (04:00) 6 The Bucket (02:55) 1 Soft (02:59) 2 Razz (02:15) 3 Day Old Blues (03:33) 4 Four Kicks (02:09) 5 Velvet Snow (02:11) 6 Rememo (03:22) 7 Where Nobody Knows (02:23) 1 Knocked Up (07:10) 2 Charmer (02:56) 3 On Call (03:22) 4 McFearless (03:09) 5 Black Thumbnail (03:59) 6 My Party (04:10) 1 True Love Way (04:02) 2 Ragoo (03:01) 3 Fans (03:36) 4 The Runner (04:16) 5 Trunk (03:57) 6 Camaro (03:06) 7 Arizona (04:50) 1 California Waiting (03:28) 2 Mollys Hangover (04:22) 3 Head to Toe (02:06) 4 Woo Hoo (03:30) 5 My Third House (04:02) 6 On Call (AOL Music Sessions) (03:20) 7 Happy Alone (?) 8 Genius (?) 9 Wicker Chair (03:31) 10 Razz (?) 11 Joes Head (?) 12 Trani (06:26) |
| The Early Vinyl : Allmusic album Review : The 2012 Kings of Leon anthology Early Albums Box is an all-vinyl LP collection that includes the bands first three albums, as well as a fourth disc of rarities. Included is 2003s Youth & Young Manhood, 2005s A-Ha Shake Heartbreak, and 2007s Because of the Times. These are the bands formative works that found them moving from a punk and garage rock-sounding outfit to the more sophisticated and anthemic alt-rock band they would become. In some ways, Kings of Leons 2008 breakout album, Only by the Night (not included here), and the accompanying hit single, "Sex on Fire" (also not included), were a new beginning for Kings of Leon that found them entering an era of worldwide fame. With Early Albums Box, fans get everything that came before that explosion gathered into one thoughtfully compiled set perfect for vinyl fanatics. Featured here are such cuts as "California Waiting," "Mollys Chambers," "Bucket," "Charmer," and others. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 18 Title: Rarely Released: 2013-04-16 Tracks: 12 Duration: 30:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 California Waiting (03:28) 2 Mollys Hangover (04:22) 3 Head to Toe (02:06) 4 Woo Hoo (03:30) 5 My Third House (04:02) 6 On Call (AOL Music Sessions) (03:20) 7 Happy Alone (?) 8 Genius (?) 9 Wicker Chair (03:31) 10 Razz (?) 11 Joes Head (?) 12 Trani (06:26) |
 | Album: 16 of 18 Title: Mechanical Bull Released: 2013-09-20 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Supersoaker (03:50) 2 Rock City (02:56) 3 Don’t Matter (02:50) 4 Beautiful War (05:09) 5 Temple (04:10) 6 Wait for Me (03:30) 7 Family Tree (03:50) 8 Comeback Story (03:59) 9 Tonight (04:33) 10 Coming Back Again (03:28) 11 On the Chin (03:46) |
| Mechanical Bull : Allmusic album Review : Kings of Leon hit it big in 2008 with their album Only by the Night and the accompanying one-two punch of singles "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody." The success of those singles propelled them into the upper echelon of arena rock bands and found them at a crossroads between the post-punk-influenced sound of their previous albums and the anthemic, U2-influenced approach that theyd begun to explore on Only by the Night. Perhaps not surprisingly, the bands follow-up, 2010s Come Around Sundown, while by no means a disappointment, seemed strained, as if the band was trying too hard to balance its early sound with its later hits, all while digging even deeper into its Southern roots. Which is partly why the bands sixth studio album, 2013s Mechanical Bull, comes as sweet relief. While still retaining Kings of Leons penchant toward bombastic, hooky choruses and driving guitars, Mechanical Bull feels breezier and less labored than Come Around Sundown. Even the title feels like a cheeky double entendre that references both the bands Southern upbringing (lead singer Caleb Followill and his bandmate siblings were raised in Oklahoma and Tennessee) and the gear-like machinations of the rock industry. Front-loading an album with the leadoff single can often be a sign of weakness in a release, but not in this case. Kicking off with the passionate "Supersoaker" merely sets the tone for this album. In fact, two of the best cuts come midway through, with the yearning "Wait for Me" and the bluesy, Primal Scream-esque "Family Tree." Elsewhere, "Rock City" brings a heavy Mott the Hoople vibe to the fore and the raging "Coming Back Again" finds the band delving into War-era U2. Having grabbed their career by the horns with Mechanical Bull, its clear that Kings of Leon arent letting it get away from them anytime soon. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 18 Title: iTunes Festival: London 2013 Released: 2013-11-15 Tracks: 4 Duration: 15:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Family Tree (03:52) 2 Wait for Me (03:26) 3 Black Thumbnail (04:46) 4 Sex on Fire (03:44) |
 | Album: 18 of 18 Title: WALLS Released: 2016-10-14 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Waste a Moment (03:03) 2 Reverend (03:54) 3 Around the World (03:34) 4 Find Me (04:05) 5 Over (06:10) 6 Muchacho (03:09) 7 Conversation Piece (04:59) 8 Eyes on You (04:40) 9 Wild (03:39) 10 WALLS (05:29) |
| WALLS : Allmusic album Review : Its easy to forget that when Kings of Leon broke through in 2008 with Only by the Night, they were already four albums deep into their career. Buoyed by the popularity of hits "Sex of Fire" and "Use Somebody," the Tennessee four-piece transformed from ragged, post-punk upstarts into arena-bait arbiters of anthemic, mainstream rock uplift, exposing their abiding love for U2 in the process. In some ways, the tonal shift made sense to a band poised to storm the awards stages next to similarly grand-minded acts like Coldplay and the Killers. Its a stance the band has assumed unflinchingly, if somewhat doggedly on subsequent albums like 2010s Come Around Sundown and 2013s Mechanical Bull. Although those albums had their brighter moments (the driving "Supersoaker"), there was a sense that just as KOL ascended to their rightful place in the post-U2 rock royalty, they became codified and predictable. On their seventh studio album, 2016s WALLS, Kings of Leon clearly attempt to crack the surface of that codified shell, hunkering down in Los Angeles with producer Markus Dravs (Florence + the Machine, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons), purportedly taking a looser, less critical approach to recording. The result is an album that does feel less claustrophobic than previous efforts, with a lean aesthetic that straddles the gaps between classic Tom Petty, 80s Fleetwood Mac, and more contemporary acts like Arcade Fire. Its a brief album, clocking ten songs in just over 40 minutes. Theres also a handful of catchy, pulse-pounding cuts here like sanguinely ecstatic "Find Me" and the swaggeringly heavy-browed "Reverend," both of which find lead singer Caleb Followill retaining his position as the bands biggest asset; his emotive southern yawp rife with poetry and lyricism. The looser approach also pays dividends as the band dive into the kinetic Afro-pop jauntiness of "Around the World," and commit with wholehearted sincerity to the melodic 80s new wave-meets-50s rock of "Eyes on You." And while no one will accuse Kings of Leon of taking huge creative chances here, cuts like the ballad "Muchacho," with its endearingly creaky, analog-sounding drum machine, and the sparkling, sweet-toned "Conversation Piece," have the feel of in-the-moment discovery, as if the band recorded them not too soon after working them out. Many of the tracks on WALLS also benefit from the added texture of keyboardist Liam ONeills various Moog synthesizers, pianos, and Mellotrons. For longtime fans, there a few dependable arena belters here in the lead-off "Waste a Moment" and the yearning "Over," but, especially in regards to the latter, they beg you to push repeat. Ultimately, with WALLS, Kings of Leon have struck a nice balance between the garage band passion of their early work, and the large scale bombast that made them stars. | ||