Long live the Kings! Long live the Kings! It is now time for the princes’ Followill to finally step forth, claim their crown and take their rightful place on the thrown as Kings of (Leon) rock n roll, away from the disappointing rabble of indie paupers, fakers and imitators.
Since the dawn of the indie rock ‘revolution’, way back in the heady days of 2000, many bands from both side of the pond have landed in our laps with much initial promise and brilliant debuts before fizzling out unceremoniously with below par and over hyped returns.
Barring the sublimely talented Yeah Yeah Yeahs, I ask to you to think of at least one other band who, in the past seven years, has managed to release a second album that, if not betters, at least equals their erstwhile opus… Hard isn’t it? The Strokes couldn’t do it, The Killers and The Futureheads didn’t do it, The Libertines nearly did it and Franz Ferdinand were NEVER going to do it.
For God’s sake, Oasis only just managed it back in the 90s because most of the songs on ‘What’s the Story…’ were written by Noel at the same time as ‘Definitely Maybe.’ And don’t even get me started on Razorlight!
In fact, ONLY one band springs to mind; Kings of Leon. A-ha Shake Heartbreak’s vintage style rock ramblings beat all expectations placed upon ‘just another one of those skinny guitar bands’, thus elevating Kings of Leon to truly ‘really good band’ status.
Now comes Because of the Times, the band’s third and best record to date. Inspired by their time spent on the roads of the rural Deep South with their Pentecostal minister father, Because of the Times refers to the name of an annual preachers conference the young Followill boys attended.
The Kings have really made huge steps forward in sound and scope. The retro, deep-fried southern garage rock sound of their previous two records is now bigger, bolder and much more ambitious.
Take Knocked Up, the intimate and epic seven-minute opener. It’s a heartfelt story of love conquers all filled with piercing yet slight guitars, pattered drum beats and Caleb – in that trademark slurry southern cadence - defying the gossiping detractors to stay with a girl he’s ‘knocked-up’ who’s ‘always mad and usually drunk but I love her like no other.’ It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t know where they’re going, he’s ‘gonna be her lover.’
The words maturity and developed spring to mind, as they do again on forthcoming single, On Call. Caleb’s painfully howled refrain of ‘She said call me now baby and I’d come a runnin’ resonates as evidence of the frontman’s lyrical and moral/personal growth.
There’s a musical freedom running through each of the album’s thirteen tracks that didn’t exist before. A creative courage that’s allowed Kings of Leon to recognise their limitations as a four-piece rock band and go out on a limb and experiment. And boy has it paid off!
Musically each member has upped their game to leave lasting impressions. For instance, Nathan’s drumming is much more technical, with more abstract beats and off kilter rhythms powering tracks such as Charmer and the outstanding romper stomping McFearless; Jared now uses a distortion pedal to give meat to his bony and spinal bass lines (My Party, Charmer) whilst Mathew’s lead guitar work is more layered, complex and varied than that of his hero Keith Richards.
Check out Camero’s stadium-sized rock riffage yet marvel at the star-spangled ringing guitar lines on the beautiful Ragoo and True Love Way.
Trunk is another highlight amongst an album packed entirely with hits. The verse echoes along and conjures up images of a catalac moving down a hot dusty road at sundown. And the [link]’s during the chorus are particularly resplendent and reminiscent of an African slave-era song.
Production wise Because of the Times is stunning, and a big reason as to why and how this album blows everything else this band has done out of the water. Akin to that of an audio journey, this record is spacious and very atmospheric. The subtle use of synths and delay/reverb attached to the piercing guitars at the start of many of the tracks create an eerie and ethereal background ambience, heard previously only on Milk.
Producers Ethan Johns and Angello Patraglia appear to have encouraged a distinctively late 1980s/00s indie new wave sound (U2, Pixies, Talk Talk, Bloc Party, Interpol etc…) mixing it up with the honky-tonk country rock that is stylish and very ‘in’ with the whole Paul Epworth approach. Notice how more than ever before most tracks now begin with one instrument isolated for four bars followed by another then another. You get my drift. And if not, then have a listen to The Futureheads and Bloc Party’s debuts, both produced by Epworth.
Because of the Times is an album laced with energy, emotion and prowess, it’s a showcase of diversity and variation and may well be Kings of Leon’s masterwork. But with their track record I wouldn’t bet on it. Here’s to the Kings and to the best rock record of 2007.
*****
For more information you can visit: http://www.kingsofleon.com
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