Hand over your heart

Why are the Kings of Leon divided by the Atlantic?

From their very first record the Followill brothers have been shunned by US media and critics, struggling to fill even small venues and receiving little attention and plays on the radio and TV. Fans in the UK and Australia can't understand this brutal dismissal of the much-loved brothers, who have headlined large festivals like Glastonbury in the UK and Big Day Out and Falls in Australia.

Here are the scores side by side of some UK and American reviews:
(click the scores for links to the reviews)

Youth & Young Manhood
NME: 9/10                                         Pitchfork: 4.2/10
The Guardian: 5/5                                 Popmatters: 3/10
Uncut: 5/5

Aha Shake Heartbreak
NME: 8/10                                         Pitchfork: 4.9/10
The Guardian: 4/5                                 Tiny Mix Tapes: 0.5/5
Uncut: 2/5

Because of the Times
NME: 8/10                                         Pitchfork: 5.4/10
The Guardian: 4/5                                 Spin: 5/10
The Observer: 5/5                 
Uncut: 4/5

Only by the Night
NME: 7/10                                         Pitchfork: 3.8/10
The Observer: 5/5                                 Popmatters: 2/10
Uncut: 4/5
Baked Not Fried: 3/5

What is it about KOL that polarises listeners and critics? It seems that you either love them or hate them. Is it Caleb's voice, or his lyrics? Is it the attitude the Followills have, is it the comparisons to the Strokes or U2? Whatever it is, I enjoy the music of the Followills, and will continue to do so, regardless of how poppy they push to become (to a point.) Hopefully they can break the US market so they can return to proper form and don't have to waste effort crafting radio hits.

Here are two excellent B-sides, the first from the Only by the Night deluxe version and the second from the Sex on Fire 7". They are only 128 kbps, buy full quality via iTunes here.

Beneath The Surface

Frontier City

Only By the Kings

Only By the Night is to be officially released September 20.

Slotting in at 42 minutes with 11 tracks, the Kings' new album is more mellow than BOTT but there are plenty of Southern rocking moments, as well as a liberal dose of country, a big influence for the Followills. Caleb's vocals are noticeably clearer and cleaner, although it is still hard to make out many of the lyrics, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

The opening track, "Closer" is truly an epic opening, it begins with a spacey synth riff and ghostly screams in the background, soon vocals come in and the song builds up with rhythm guitar to start the album off with a bang. After "Crawl" and "Sex on Fire", which are unchanged from earlier releases, comes the much anticipated studio version of "Manhattan". While definitely a great song, it lacks the punch of the live version, and comes off a bit lacking.

"Use Somebody" and "Notion" are perhaps the staple pop anthems that fans were dreading, but they still retain enough Kings to be appreciated, and Caleb's whine is possibly the thing that saves them. "Revelry" will be a track that grows on listeners, with both Matthew and Jared contributing fills aplenty. "17" sounds like a poppy christmas carol, with backing "oohs" and bells.

"Be Somebody" is one of the stand-out tracks, the pounding drums and "Milk"-esque guitar alternate with a melodic chorus, and it ends with a rocking breakdown that is sure to get the crowd bouncing live. "I Want You" has a bassline similar to "Charmer" and a cowbell; it could have been interesting but ends up a bit irritating. "Cold Desert" ends the album, it is a slower melodic song but is powerful enough in an "Arizona" or "Trunk" way to be memorable.

This album has been heralded as "the album that will set Kings of Leon apart from other bands." Does OBTN do this? The short answer is no. There is no doubt that there are some killer tracks, some to satisfy old fans, some to widen the audience and appeal to a more mainstream demographic. However, comparing this release to the rawness and passion of their earlier work, Only By the Night falls just short. The whole is perhaps less than the sum of its parts. But thats not to say the Kings' have not produced something great. Any band would have trouble living up to Because of the Times. Every track on the album can be enjoyed, and the Kings of Leon will undoubtably continue to be the Southern success story they have been for the past few years.

Closer
Be Somebody