I remember listening to my friend’s shitty indie rock band practice covers of Kings of Leon songs in high school. Albums like Aha Shake Heartache (2005) and Because of the Times (2007) succeed in their ability to appeal to fans of The Strokes and Interpol, but also fans of country and blues. The sound was edgy, raw, and sounded easy to emulate, but actually wasn’t at all (at least for my friend’s band). The vocal techniques and dynamic songwriting were refreshingly unique during the reign of one-dimensional dance rock in MTV culture. Released on September 23rd, the King’s of Leon’s new album entitled Only By the Night is, for the most part, a far cry from any of their previous efforts. The guitar hooks sometimes remind me of cheesy pop punk from the 90s, and the overall sound is highly reminiscent of Band of Horses or even a Tennessee-based version of Coldplay. There is, however, the occasional gem on Only By the Night, such as the opening track “Closer,” in which the melodramatic lyrics are overshadowed by the sheer catchiness and rhythmical complexity of it all, making it the strongest song on the entire album. The first single, “Sex on Fire,” also has a memorable chorus, but lacks in every other department. The opening 50 seconds sound like a bizarre mixture of My Morning Jacket, The Strokes, and Sting, all leading into Caleb Followill’s massively emotive and bluesy bellows of “You / your sex is on fire, / consumed by what’s to transpire.” Hey, they never made any claims at eloquence. It might be time to start questioning the ultimate goals the Kings of Leon had in mind with this album. With their image taking the front seat, the Kings of Leon are enjoying phenomenal success in Europe. So they can hold on to their southern swagger, tight jeans, and overblown egos for dear life as loyal fans of old Kings of Leon pay $3 at the door to see their friend’s cover band play shitty versions of “Charmer” and “Four Kicks.” I’ll see you there.
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