One moment will stick with me for the rest of my life, and It’s not the first time I heard The Beatles or Johnny Cash. It is in-fact the juncture at which I saw a group of Diesel clad, WKD guzzling morons, linked at the shoulders wailing “Yoooooooou, your sex is on fire” to each other whilst jumping on the feet of everyone around them.
Has it come to this? Really?
So, in light of that, lets get to grips with the problem that's plaguing music fans up and down the country...is it still cool to like the Kings Of Leon?
An irreverent force in the face of contemporary Indie music following the release of Youth and Young Manhood in 2003, the band have since been heavily criticised for the stadium-pop-rock sound that echoed so brazenly through the delicate bass lines of Only By The Night back in 2008, and contrasted (jeopardised) the bands audial prowess, a catalogue of music they had worked so hard to create throughout the decade.
Needless to say, upon the release Of Come Around Sundown, I too was sceptical as to the direction the band would take. This scepticism was justified.
The album is essentially an attempt to please everyone, a notion that Caleb and the gang would have pissed on back in the early years. Imagine Only by the night, but without Sex on Fire and Use somebody and you’ve got Come Around Sundown.
Of course, there are many who will say this is just a new musical direction for the band, swaying further away from their southern-rock stylistics to a more sombre, atmospheric and experimental affair, but I’m sad to say, its not. It’s made for the radio, and with the radio in mind, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as you have the goods to back up the intention.
The album opens with “Mi amigo,” a song that seemingly takes its influence from Marc Bolan and Garry Glitter, which is never a good combination.
We’re then led through more longing dross until we reach “Mary,” a nod to the jukebox of a 50’s diner, a shot to once again re-connect with their roots, sounding more like the Jersey boys than Don Mclean.
This is also attempted again on “Back down south,” with a catchy country and western vibe that should be called “See, were still the same band, honestly,” re-enforcing the notion that we are listening to a group of lads who are yearning to be respected as they once were.
In-fact, the best song on the album is probably “Radioactive,” which says allot when taking into consideration the self-righteous video that accompanied the music, which looked more like a comic relief montage than a music video.
Alas, the band have come to a crossroads in their career. Continue to sacrifice the sanctity of the band for the sake of radio 1? Or actually get in touch with their past and create music that will win back the fan-base they have lost.
But on the basis of Come around Sundown they have no intention of reviving the genre anytime soon, and after all, even Jagger wore a shell suit.
