Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
The Kings of Leon recently spent some time touring Australia with Pearl Jam last November. After listening to Because of the Times I think the elder statesmen of Seattle grunge may have rubbed off on the young Kings. Throughout the record I hear a lot of the sounds that were coming out of Seattle in Pearl Jam's heyday.
Caleb Followill gets busy channeling the spirit of Kurt Cobain on "Charmer" with a steady stream of shrill screams. Another tribute to the vocal stylings of one other late star of the grunge scene, Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, seems to be present on "Trunk." The band doesn't just stick to the Seattle sound. Is it just me or is there a great example of Aerosmith and Steven Tyler's influence on the band on the fifth track, "Black Thumbnail?" Aside from paying homage to these potential influences, the band does a great job of expanding and branching out from the sound heard on Aha Shake Heartbreak. There is plenty of experimenting going on to keep things interesting while staying true to what's gotten the band to this point in their careers, a modern take on classic southern rock.
The syncopated jive of "Ragoo" is a perfect example of what differentiates the band from most of their peers. You know you've heard a lot of what's happening before but they do it in a wholly original and glorious way. One of my favorite tracks off Aha Shake Heartbreak was "Four Kicks" and I think it's safe to suggest "My Party" is it's rowdier, younger brother. I can see the pseudo-mosh pits starting now at Kings of Leon shows all over the world. The song, much like the album, is a relentless loud-quiet-loud throwdown. Pure and simple, this is an excellent rock record that's perfect for these times, or any other time for that matter.
GRANT! Congrats on the links... Your writing is brilliant. Hugs and Kisses.
Heart,
Colleen
Posted by: C.Keating | April 05, 2007 at 04:14 PM