This has been a Kings of Leon year. Their album Only by the Night found it's place the at the top of several decade charts, and is still a top contender in sales in many places. It was so popular in Australia that it became a certified best seller. It's gone eight times platinum, and spent a lot of time lingering around the top ten albums in ten different countries. Needless to say, this one is worth checking out, but let's take a look at why it's risen to such high heights.
The band took a turn for nostalgia with this one, making an album that was even more rock and roll than anything they'd released before. The really unique thing about this rock and roll though, was their approach to mixing. The vocals and bass soar through the verses, giving the lyrics some emphasis, and relaying the message a little more profoundly. You can almost hear Joe Cocker's influence in the vocalists tones in the choruses, with sporadic pitch changes at some points. This aspect reached the demographic of our parents, people who still hung onto the classics of the 60s, straight through the 80s.
With the guitars and drums, we hear the 90s. With big, cymbal heavy beats, we have that catchy feel of Richard Ashcroft and Tutuska while at the same time preserving it's rock and roll edge with the simplicity of only a bass, snare, and a couple of toms. The guitars, are almost opposite to the drums in influence. They remain in the time period of the 90s, with just enough crunch to be heard and constant driving chords, the guitar lays down a flat plane for the rest of the band to glide over. The melodies that the guitarist incorporates once again takes it back to the rock and roll of the past, using reverb and fewer notes, but more emotion, to accentuate the melody and give the song a more round body. These aspects grab our demographic, the now teens and early twenty year olds, whom grew and learned to love music in the 90s, and still love the style today.
As far as singles go, Sex on Fire has been burning up charts in popularity. Even after a year of it's release, it's not uncommon to hear the song playing out of a radio, or a movie theater speaker. It had enough appeal to propel the album to it's high heights and will continue to do so because sex sells. It has the emotional, and sexual feel to grab onto nearly anyone, while providing an exciting, and catchy melody for anyone with a keen ear for music tuning in. Use Somebody is also lurking around the single and video charts around the globe, with the same soaring vocals we're used to, and simple driving guitar to keep that catchy appeal to it.
Overall, the album has a little something for everyone. Sensual lyrics, exciting instruments, and just enough keyboard to grab that pop lover and pull them in. Definitely worth buying, listening to, and showing your friends.
- Jeff
Download it here - ONLY BY THE NIGHT
No comments:
Post a Comment