++ALBUM++ review by Dave
Dave reviews the latest Kings of Leon album. Then falls asleep and has nightmares of being stuck in a world where such a tedious insomnia cure of a record gets to number one in charts all over the globe, with legions of rabid fans and critics eager to defend slights upon it, without actually realising that they don't enjoy listening to it. No, really.
I’m genuinely not trying to court controversy here – but Kings of Leon keep getting worse. They seem to subscribe to the misguided notion that epic = maturity. Slow your tunes down, put out any fire you had when you formed your band and people will marvel at how you’re progressing and how you’re growing and getting more deep.
"Use Somebody sounds like bad Brian Adams."
In interviews, Kings of Leon talk about all the experience they have after three albums, how they want their work to be an improvement on the last. This manifests itself in their new records sounding more considered, more produced, less vital and ultimately much more boring than their debut.
Part of the reason why I dislike their latest albums is a problem of my own making, I admit it. The genre they dabbled with in the beginning – southern rock a la Lynyrd Skynrd and Creedence Clearwater Revival – is a genre very close to my heart. The prospect of a new band ploughing that kind of musical furrow, but with some contemporary suss, was a very exciting one when they started out . Their first few gigs in London were awesome. But ever since then, they’ve been leaving their southern roots behind and treading more tried and tested indie rock waters. With the result that there’s nothing unique or interesting about them. They’re just dull college rock wannabees these days.
Take album opener Closer. Listening to that is like a slow death. It plods along, filling your ears with musical treacle. Never getting to the point, doing nothing interesting, wasting 4 valuable minutes of your life.
Use Somebody sounds like bad Brian Adams. But with Chris Martin penning the chorus. And some really horrible Level 42 bass playing. It’s nasty – the album’s low point for me.
You’d hope a song with a title like ‘Revelry’ to pick things up a bit. But boy, is that one dull fucking song. It’s bad M Doughty, without his lyrical wit.
Current single Sex on Fire is by far the stand out track on the album, and even then it’s not a patch on The Strokes at their best (recalling The Modern Age in the intro).
If you think I’m exaggerating their decline – head over to their myspace site. Flick through all the tunes, and you’ll find their debut single Molly’s Chambers to be a shining southern rock diamond in a juke box full of dog shit.
++ Dave ++
Artrocker rating: 1
