Kings of Leon Rock My World

“People call us renegades, we like living crazy. We like taking on this town, some people’s getting lazy. I don’t’ care what nobody says, no I’m going to be her lover. Always mad and usually drunk but I love her like no other…”

These lines from Because of the Times’ opening track “Knocked Up” pretty much sum up the Kings of Leon: drunken outlaws driving around, chasing a good time and bad women. On their huge third album, out today, the Kings add something else a little unexpected given their penchant for those aforementioned pastimes: musical maturity.

One of the best things about this band is that each album has shown marked development and improvement from the previous one without losing the essence of their sound. The first album Youth and Young Manhood has “Trani” which is probably still my favorite song and Aha Shake is underrated and excellent. Here’s “Trani” from Bonnaroo 2004 (I wasn’t there but I’ve seen it live and this song is a sick way to close a set).


Because of the Times, however, is the biggest jump for them: you can actually understand most of what brother Caleb sings, the instruments are given much more space to show off and sound big but not cheesy (like, say, the Killers), and Nathan Followill is driving on the drums--really interesting and clean. They experiment with new sounds without losing the nasty southern rocking soul that brought them a devoted following in the first place. Here’s one of my favorite tracks, the first single off the record called “On Call:”


The opening chords off “Knocked Up” and several other songs sound like something epic off a U2 track. Perhaps during their stint opening for that biggest band in the world, the Tennessee-based Kings set their sights a little higher than trying to one up southern fried rock bands like the Black Crowes: on their ambitious and brilliantly produced third album it shows. U2 isn’t the only new influence that can be heard in the Kings’ new and enriched sound: Red Hot Chili Peppers (“McFearless”), the Mars Volta, and the requisite Bob Dylan (check out their quotation of the beautiful “ 4th Time Around” on “The Runner”—Kings of Leon also opened for Dylan who loves them) also have made their impression on the young Followill boys. Zeppelin and Skynard still remain one of their biggest points of reference, but the last track “Arizona” even takes a complete 180 and sounds a little bit like really amazing, weirdly tripped out 80’s power pop to me.

McFearless:


Here are 2 of my faves:
Fans
Ragoo
I know I included a lot of video today and that's not just because the Kings of Leon are fun to look at, though they really are. It's just easier.

This is the kind of album you want to turn up and speed around too. Because of the Times is out today. I suggest you buy it.