Kings of Leon album review
Because of the Times Marks New Direction for KOL
Kings of Leon are back with a new album that displays their willingness to evolve their sound and their determination to become stadium rock gods.
Kings of Leon are a promoters dream. Three brothers and their cousin, all possessing the sinewy sex appeal of Jagger, coupled with the excessive appetites of Keith Richards. They spent their childhood touring the south of the US with their preacher father, playing their instruments along to his fevered exaltations to the Lord. These were the boys Dusty Springfield was singing about. If anyone was destined for rock stardom, it was these four shaggy sons of the south. And over three albums, Kings of Leon have proved they possess the musical substance to accompany their dream rock image.
On their first album, Youth and Young Manhood, they were young, broke and horny, interested in nothing more than bar fights and chasing after chubby country girls who kept looking over their shoulder. On Aha Shake Heartbreak, they graduated to crisper, sharper sounds and sonically explored the repercussions of the fame they had achieved (those indifferent country lasses had been replaced by eager models). With their third album, Because of the Times, the Kings have continued to develop their sound and while still maintaining an unhealthy interest in rough living and girls, have shifted their attention to world domination. And with supporting slots for the likes of U2 and Pearl Jam under their belts, who would vote against them.
Unlike many bands, Kings of Leon are uninterested in repeating previously successful formulas. As Nathan Followill, the drummer for the group writes on the official website,
“I think people tend to expect a certain sound from us, but on this record we tried to throw them for a loop.” (www.kingsofleon.com/biography)
They have certainly achieved that, opening Because of the Times not with a short punchy number as we have come to expect, but rather a 7 minute musical odyssey called Knocked Up, featuring haunting guitar and the story of a young pregnant couple. The listener is shortly snapped out of their contemplative reverie however by the second track, Charmer, an energetic rocker that is punctuated by the painful larynx shredding scream of singer Caleb Followill. The single for the album, On Call, follows, a song which highlights the softer sound the Kings have aimed for this time around. The rest of the album succeeds in displaying the growing musical ability of the band, with the tracks McFearless and Ragoo particular highlights.
Lyrical ability has always been an area where the band lacks depth and Because of the Times is no exception. They seem incapable of exploring any themes other than small town living and the allure of gorgeous female heartbreakers. But their ability to move the listener cannot be questioned, a fact which would explain their legions of fans. Whenever listening to a Kings of Leon album one develops the sudden urge to either dance badly or sing along loudly, often a combination of the both. The trend continues on Because of the Times, a welcome addition to the growing Kings of Leon catalogue.
