Multi-platinum selling rock band KINGS OF LEON officially release their hugely anticipated seventh studio album WALLS October 14th on RCA Records and Sony Music Entertainment Australia. The Grammy Award winning group decided to return to their recording roots in Los Angeles and worked with famed producer Markus Dravs (Arcade Fire, Coldplay, Florence + the Machine).
In the 10-year recesses of Kings of Leon’s discography, a historical line can be drawn at the release of their 2008 album Only By The Night. For every record before that point were records that had a DIY, surfy/garage rock sound, a sort of nonchalant approach to making music which came out in the tone of the records in a very much carefree demeanour. Only By The Night represented a peak of that musical craftsmanship which finally enabled the band to stratospherically emerge into the mainstream.
However every album which was post-Only By The Night only just manage to reach the musical heights of the records, always coming short of something simply amazing, great – but not great enough. Walls feels very much like that, it feels in between the tracks that the band is trying to capture that musical greatness they has carefully crafted those eight years ago. But that’s the issue; the band can never get tone, or the tenacious demeanour just the right way.
Despite the record not being in the same ballpark of greatness as past albums, it’s not too say the record isn’t actually enjoyable. There are a few tracks which feature hints of characteristics of the Kings of Leon sound, with rockabilly drum beats, crunchy overdrive on the guitars and of course Mathew Followill’s southern drawl pouring all over the emotively intense lyrics.
The beginning is well made with Waste A Moment featuring loud choruses and a fast-paced pop-rock hit and Around The World adding a bit of quirky spice to the record with a heady indie feel. Other tracks also feature the same well-composed lyrical poetry, solidifying the talents of Followill as a well-polished songwriter. But it’s in the production where the record falls flat, it feels too polished and glossed over. Kings of Leon’s talents as a band lay in the rough and rudimentary characteristics of their records, and that is the approach to making music they should be taking. Carefree, tenacious and apathetic.
TRACKLIST
Waste A Moment
Reverend
Around The World
Find Me
Over
Muchacho
Conversation Piece
Eyes On You
Wild
WALLS
