The Kings of Leon have revitalized the definitive rock ‘n‘ roll image. Indulging their souls in the excesses of booze, sex and drugs that established the genre between '66 and '74, the Kings of Leon have made a name for themselves by leaving the bullshit of overproduction at the door and creating some of the greatest rock albums of our generation.
The band's latest album, Because of the Times, evolves the sounds of their previous releases (2003's Youth & Young Manhood and 2005's Aha Shake Heartbreak), and elevates the band to an epic stature that not only makes Because of the Times the best album of 2007, but an instant classic that will reverberate for generations to come.
The Kings of Leon are comprised of the brothers Followill—drummer Nathan, bassist Jared and singer-guitarist Caleb—and their cousin—lead guitarist Matthew—who grew up in the back of an Oldsmobile while their preacher father drove the family across the South to give sermons. Upon their parents' divorce in 1997, the brothers moved with Matthew to Nashville and sang country before being turned on to the Rolling Stones, thus allowing the raw sexuality of rock ‘n‘ roll to slowly seep into their veins and change their lives.
Because of the Times opens with the seven minute and ten second cinematic beast ""Knocked Up,"" which deliberately and beautifully tells the ultimate rebellion tale of two star-crossed lovers who run away from their homes and families in a Cadillac Coupe de Ville in order to start a new life together surrounding their unexpected pregnancy.
Sung in first person, Caleb establishes his character's faults as a human, but he refuses to listen to the objections of his and his girlfriend's families by following his heart while singing, ""Always mad and usually drunk / But I love her like no other."" The ""Bonnie & Clyde""-like feel to the track makes it a great opener and the perfect mood-setter for the rest of the album.
Caleb's gnarly shriek and often incomprehensible vocals set the Kings of Leon apart from other bands with a similar southern garage band sound. ""Charmer"" features the singer's loud shrilling screams throughout the verses, and the head banging ""Black Thumbnail"" proves that Caleb has yet to learn how to enunciate.
Pretension is a word that is not uttered much within the band, as no single member stands out on his own, but each equally contributes to the cohesiveness of the band's sound. Absent are the flashy guitar solos and public individualism often displayed by many of the band's contemporaries.
Because of the Times also displays the brilliant evolution the Kings of Leon have experienced since Aha Shake Heartbreak. The band has traded in tongue-in-cheek songs about erectile dysfunction and transvestites for tunes longing for lost loves and the pain associated with man's submission to the evils of women. During the recording process, it is apparent that the band experimented in a crude usage of reverberation, which is best displayed during the verses of ""On Call"" and the drug-induced ""Trunk.""
If you remotely consider yourself a fan of rock ‘n‘ roll, Because of the Times is an essential album for your collection, for the Kings of Leon have proved that the spirit and sexual soul of rock ‘n‘ roll has never died and is here to stay.
