Artist: Kings Of Leon
Title: Come Around Sundown
Genre: Rock / Garage Rock / Southern Rock
Release Date: 15th October 2010
Label: SonyBMG / Columbia
Album Review
Once upon a time in America (location: Franklin Tennessee), there was a family of which each member called the other by the second given name, omitting the first ones for the silence of the stamps in official documents. The father preached and the children learnt their music in a church orchestra wherever they travelled as their father spread the Good News. When the three Followill brothers grew up they formed a band with their cousin Matthew, their budding rock music paid homage to Southern Rock and Blues and soon after they decided on a journey with the express train of Arena Rock. You could say the travel around the Southern USA in their childhood has prepared them for the tough life of touring musicians. The British embraced them first but with their fourth album they finally raised the alarm finally in many American (and Australian) homes, who rushed to get their ‘Only by the Night’ album in such numbers that it earned the four guys platinum awards; it also brought them four Grammys. You could even say that the song from whereof LP ‘Sex on Fire’ has passed as a collective meme around the available (to market) globe. The name: KINGS OF LEON.
Caleb, singer and guitarist, explained their approach to song-writing and the production of their fifth album ‘Come Around Sundown’ as follows: “With the new album we wanted to be a little more experimental than on the previous albums. This time we wanted to show more of our country side and give people insight into our history. Show them what we want to achieve musically.” There is definitely less blatant catchiness to their album, their southern roots are definitely blazing through prominently, which gives their music more depth, individuality and atmosphere. ‘Come Around Sundown’ starts with ‘The End’, irony or the fact that the New Testament speaks about both the end and the beginning in many ways maybe it shows that part of their history right there, regardless of which, Southern Rock kicks in one of my favourite songs here. It’s a slow tempo song, somewhat melancholy and Caleb handles the song with his voice beautifully, the instruments add on and shade more layers. It’s definitely a mixture of old and their new work as they intended.
‘RadioActive’ was released as a single in September as a taster and shows their spiritual roots, it’s very gospel driven song. It also has some of U2 flavour. I’m more taken by the verses than the chorus, but I can see why it was chosen as a single released a month before the LP, it makes a good song to be sung together with the concert-going audience. ‘Pyro’ is a ‘chilled out’ track which is contrasted by its lyrics of silent despair such as “All the black inside me is slowly seeping from the bone / Everything I cherished is slowly dying or is gone” underlined by sad irony with the rest of lines. ‘The Face’ evokes the scene in the dance hall to life; it nearly transports you with its very vivid and cinematic elements, be they musical or lyrical or vocal. ‘Back Down South’ has a folksy, bluesy and country feel and thus creating an altogether great and stylistically varied song. ‘Pony Up’ I’ll mention for the bass giving the song a great ‘spine’. To sum it up, I find this album their best for its more varied and richer sound and more unique atmosphere which makes them stand out more than they did before, it’s solid, enjoyable and even very relaxing. So the tale ends with a happy ending, which is also a beginning.
Tracklist
01. The End - 4.28
02. Radioactive - 3.30
03. Pyro - 4.14
04. Mary - 3.29
05. The Face - 3.32
06. The Immortals - 3.33
07. Back Down South - 4.05
08. Beach Side - 2.55
09. No Money - 3.10
10. Pony Up - 3.09
11. Birthday - 3.19
12. Mi Amigo - 4.11
13. Pick Up Truck - 4.49
Line-up
Caleb Followill – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Jared Followill – bass, backing vocals
Nathan Followill – drums, percussions, backing vocals
Mathew Followill – lead guitar, backing vocals
Websites
http://radioactive.kingsofleon.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/kingsofleon
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 9
Total: 8.5 / 10
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