NEW MUSIC MONDAY: Kings of Leon

The Kings of Leon said they weren’t surprised when they became superstars with the release of their fourth studio album Only By The Night in 2008 which sold over 6.5 million copies. Their fans said they always had a talent for creating hooky songs with huge, U2-like guitar riffs but what they were most disappointed with was how the band seemed to step away from their experimental edge that had made previous albums Aha Shake Heartbreak and Because Of The Times so attractive. So how do you try to please everyone? Easy! You release a collaboration of both old and new styles.

Kings of Leon’s fifth album, Come Around Sundown brings the band back to their roots of southern gritty rock, while pleasing new fans as well with some polished, radio-friendly play including the first hit single ‘Radioactive.’ Other standout tunes include the 60′s doo-wop-style, booming love song ‘Mary’ and the fiddle and twangy slide guitar ridden ‘Back Down South.’ But, perhaps the best track on the album, ‘The Immortals,’ displays a cool, modernized jazzy beat in the verses reminiscent of the Police with heavy guitar driven choruses.

In summary, Come Around Sundown won’t be the best album ever produced by Kings of Leon but it certainly does show that this band is no overnight success. They have worked hard to get to the rockstar status they have achieved and it doesn’t appear there is any end in sight.

The music video for the first single ‘Radioactive’ is below.