Kings of Leon – Only By The Night

Kings of Leon were a band that I was never really sold on. Even from the beginning, I couldn’t stand Caleb’s dramatic drawl. It all seemed forced. That being said, I do have one their albums on my computer Aha Shake Heartbreak. Slowly this collection grew on me – but never to the point of obsession.

Only By the Night is different. Typically, I would have bypassed any hype surrounding the release of this newest effort – unless it wasn’t for a buddy who personally recommended the disc. I took him up on his word and dutifully listened through the LP. At first, I wasn’t that taken. The single “Use Somebody” was obviously one of the better tracks.

However, after repeated plays, I was openly sucked in. There seemed to be an energy that wasn’t there on Aha and Caleb’s vocals seemed a bit more dominant and commanding – less whining. The subject matter is a tad juvenile considering the members are around my age – or older. Yet, my musical tastes might seem a bit juvenile too sometimes!

“Use Somebody” is still amazing me. It definitely stands out on the album – and its warm feeling seems to compel me to listen again and again. I guess I have my buddy to thank for some quality music! Some interesting tidbits on the band: three of the members are brothers – and one is a cousin. The group's name is derived from the band’s father and grandfather, both named Leon.

As for Only By the Night: In the June 2008 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine, Caleb discussed how he believes his pain medication (which he took after a fistfight with brother Nathan) inspired him to write some of the "most beautiful" songs, so much that he's claimed he is "proud track-by-track." The album was released this past September and debuted at number 1 in the UK.

Kings Of Leon official site
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Kings of Leon on YouTube