't June when I got this album, or when it was released but it was June when I started to listen to the hype that surrounded this masterpiece. I actually got the album in about February due to my scary dedication to finding albums far before they come out. On first listen Knocked Up stood out, Charmer was ok and the rest of the album generally bored me. I remember my first experience of Kings Of Leon, 2004's Aha Shake Heartbreak and most memorably the single Molly's Chambers. It was impossible not to love their garage/country rock and Caleb's gravelly delivery fills the songs with warmth and emotion when most of the time, I can't understand what he says first time around.Knocked Up for me was the perfect album opener with a subtle drum beat, a smooth bass line and the unforgettable echoey, delayed guitar that captured my attention with such force, I didn't need to listen to the rest of the album. And I didn't. The song changes emotion so quickly, snapping into heavy choruses and snapping right back into the calm. Ed O'Brien of Radiohead fame championed their drummer saying he was "amazing...they're all great but he's really special" and Knocked Up demonstrates this perfectly with constant snare rolls adding emphasis when its perfectly suited.
And so after constant badgering and witnessing them live again, I felt it was necessary to give
the album another whirl. And I did. And luckily, I found all the elements of Kings of Leon that I'd fallen in love with first time around. Songs such as Charmer brought back the raw emotion that was evident in earlier songs with its powerful bass line and Caleb's fantastic vocal delivery, On Call was a gorgeous song about being there for people when they need you, McFearless is a wonderfully constructed song with an extremely complicated drumbeat that rules the song without overpowering. Black Thumbnail rocks out with its cock out, a powerful and loud song with catchy guitar lines and skipping drums. As the album progresses it is clear that Kings of Leon do not take their pedal off the gas for a moment and by the time your reach Fans, your elation is uncontainable and the song dutifully provides anthemic singalongs.
It really is a superb album by such a young band, the progression is clear in each album as they've become more polished songwriters, more polished production whilst maintaining the raw edge that makes them so appealing. With new album Only By The Night due for release on September 22nd and a stunning headlining set at Glastonbury behind them, Kings of Leon have secured their place on the british music scene as innovators and live masters.
And so after constant badgering and witnessing them live again, I felt it was necessary to give
the album another whirl. And I did. And luckily, I found all the elements of Kings of Leon that I'd fallen in love with first time around. Songs such as Charmer brought back the raw emotion that was evident in earlier songs with its powerful bass line and Caleb's fantastic vocal delivery, On Call was a gorgeous song about being there for people when they need you, McFearless is a wonderfully constructed song with an extremely complicated drumbeat that rules the song without overpowering. Black Thumbnail rocks out with its cock out, a powerful and loud song with catchy guitar lines and skipping drums. As the album progresses it is clear that Kings of Leon do not take their pedal off the gas for a moment and by the time your reach Fans, your elation is uncontainable and the song dutifully provides anthemic singalongs.It really is a superb album by such a young band, the progression is clear in each album as they've become more polished songwriters, more polished production whilst maintaining the raw edge that makes them so appealing. With new album Only By The Night due for release on September 22nd and a stunning headlining set at Glastonbury behind them, Kings of Leon have secured their place on the british music scene as innovators and live masters.
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