Kings of Leon are best described as "southern indie blues garage rock". I'd use less words but they're all fitting and I like making things more complicated than they should be. In the grand family of southern-influenced indie music, they're the brooding 20-something to the White Stripes' hyperactive teenager.
All four band members are family - three sons of a pastor and a first cousin. And they're very much descendants of Skynyrd and CCR. These two things would usually be a turn-off. I usually don't like Jesus in music except in Carrie Underwood songs, at Christmas, or during Sister Act 2. I also don't like people trying to recreate or borrow from Skynyrd. Fuck you Kid Rock.
But KOL are more "Sound and the Fury" than they are "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". The guitars are mainly electric and made to sound slightly dissonant and atmospheric. The lead singer has one of those haunting voices that conveys emotion regardless of what he's singing about...it's always haunting and always resonates with you, even when the song's uptempo. The song subjects are the usual suspects of country music but the execution is so brilliant that they can sing "I don't care what nobody says/We're gonna have a baby." Even Victoria couldn't pull that line off as well as they do.
Their new album Only by the Night comes out September 23rd (I got my advance copy from our lord Jesus Christ). These are my three favorite songs : "Sex on Fire" is about sex and sounds like it and I might, uh, use it in the future; "Be Somebody" is now tied with The Format's "The Compromise" as my top choice for my yet-to-be-created TV drama; "Use Somebody" is their very successful attempt at a usually unsuccessful emo staple - the unrequited love song.
Best enjoyed with Jack Daniels and fried chicken. But eat alone and be angry and sad about it at the same time.
Sex on Fire
Be Somebody
Use Somebody
3 comments:
I'm not sure that I quite agree with your characterization of what type of band they are, or who their influences might be (unless you know something that comes directly from them), but who cares as I do agree with you comments on their sound, and most importantly, they rock! I got a bit scared when I read that the three brothers were sons of a pastor as visions of Scott Stapp danced in my head. Thanks for turning me on to them, especially the awesome song Sex On Fire. Oh and for the record, I agree with you on the Kid Rock comment too. He blows jelly rolls (ask mitochandrea).
i also LOVE "fans"
(hi guys, i stumbled on your blog from mariel's facebook page. stalkerish i know, but i really like it! and the title, so witty)
yay saidi! also kings of leon were the cover story on some random music mag i saw in the virgin megastore today. just...because you care.
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