As a long time, die hard, borderline addict Kings of Leon fan, I  was a little concerned about this album.  While “Only By the Night” managed to FINALLY break through the US music border and land them 4 Grammy awards, the old “Youth and Young Manhood” fans were sort of sitting dazed and confused.  Have they sold out?  I, along with many other veteran fans were wondering if we were up for yet another over produced album filled with beautiful, inspiring lyrics that lacked the intense sincerity we were all used to.
I’m glad they didn’t disappoint us.

While this album does contain some clearly over produced musical arrangements to keep the “sexsomebody” fans happy,  it contains something that I’ve yet to hear in any other KOL album.  Maturity!  If you go back to 2003 and listen to songs like “Happy Alone” and “Wasted Time”, there is virtually no drum combination and no base line.  Lyrically they are awesome.  Sticking to things they know and being faithful to their surroundings.  They were young, inexperienced, and very talented.  Being a group of southern boys from Tennessee, I’m sure they experienced quite a culture shock when entering the mass chaos of European music culture.  As they progressed and grew musically throughout the next 3 albums, they became bigger and bigger in Europe.  Forcing them to spend A LOT of time there.  Drawing them farther and farther away from their deep southern roots.   When it became apparent that “Only By the Night” was going to be big in the US, they added more and more shows on their home turf.  Which I believe inspired many of the lyrics and songs in “Come Around Sundown”.

The album contains 13 tracks and 3 additional bonus tracks.  One of which is a remix of “Closer” from “Only By the Night”.

1. The End
2. Radioactive
3. Pyro
4. Mary
5. The Face
6. The Immortals
7. Back Down South
8. Beach Side
9. No Money
10. Pony Up
11. Birthday
12. Mi Amigo
13. Pickup Truck
14. Celebration
15. Bonus track: Radioactive with the West Angeles Mass Choir
16. Bonus track: Closer (Presets Remix)

I will make this easy for all the fans that want to cut through the crap.  Your traditional dirty sex songs that refer to sexual drunken stoopers and Caleb referring to “Big ol’ Dicks” are tracks 11 and 12.  They are both good listens, very upbeat, and in a weird way,  sort of…… sweet.

The kick ass and take names fight song is number 13.  This is actually one of my favorites.  When listening to this song live, it’s hard to make out some of the lyrics.  So until I heard the album version, I thought it was about something completely different than what it actually refers to.  Which is awesome!  I won’t ruin it for you, but my favorite lyric from this track is  “But when he pulled in and revved it up, I said ‘you call that a pickup truck?’ And in the moonlight I brought him down, a kickin’ and screamin’ and rollin’ around, a little piece of a bloody tooth, Just so you know I was thinkin’ of you.” In other words,  I kicked dudes ass and I was thinking of you the whole time.

The please replace these songs with some of the awesome B sides from the past are “Beach Side”, “Mary”, and (I could do without) “Pyro”.  Mary is apparently an important song to Caleb.  It’s actually about marriage.  He wrote this song when Nate was getting married and moving out of the house.  But I really don’t like the whole beach/50’s arrangement. “Pyro”, is a song that I’ve heard them play live twice.  It’s got an awesome lyrical meaning, but again the musical arrangement could have been better.  “Beach Side” is probably the worst song I’ve ever heard KOL play.  It’s uncomfortable for me to even listen to.  I don’t get it.  It reminds me of an 80’s adult contemporary song…..yuck.

Now…the best of the best! “The End”-  Has an amazing bass line in the beginning and continues throughout the song.  Matt’s guitar arrangement compliments the base line with a strong start and fade out.  I thought this was a great track to start the album with.  The lyrics are very powerful especially coming from Caleb.  This is a prime example of how the band has matured over the past few years.  With lines like “I just want to hold you, take you by your hand, and tell you that your good enough, and tell you that it’s gonna be tough” you feel a sense of caring and love in Caleb’s voice that hasn’t existed before.

If you grew up in a Southern Baptist or Pentecostal Church, the opening to “Radioactive” will seem oddly familiar to you.  That’s because it’s taken from an old gospel hymn the brothers grew up listening to in their many travels with their Pentecostal preacher father.  I immediately connected to this song when I heard it for the first time at Bonnaroo in June.  It’s a powerful song urging all of us to remember where we came from.  The roots of who we are, no matter how painful or forgetful or uneventful our life might be or was, will always be found in the place where we came from.

“Southbound” is a true southern rock song.  It really reminds me of The Allman Brothers or Lynyrd Skynyrd without the redneck.  I really like the version they play live much better than the track that is on the album.  The big difference on the album is the fiddle.  Come on guys…..we don’t need a fiddle.  The acoustic guitar will suffice.  It’s still an awesome song that accurately describes what it’s like to “hang out” on a warm Saturday night in the south.

“The Face” is a pretty cool song, mainly because you can tell it’s written specifically for Caleb’s now fiance, Victoria’s Secret model Lily Aldridge.   I really like the opening arrangement and fade out before Caleb’s voice comes in.  I know personally, if I heard him sing to me,  “If you’ll give up New York, I’ll give you Tennessee….the only place to be”.  I’d pack my bags and be on a plane to Nashville.

My absolute favorite song from this album is “The Immortals”.  This was another new song that I connected with at Bonnaroo.  The lyrics are so moving to me that I actually shed tears when I listen to them.  Not sure if it’s because I’ve figured out who I am, but have failed to face it and have not taken chances that I should have, or instead of loving along the way, I’ve been selfish and hurt more people than I should have.  Either way, I’m sure everyone can relate to not taking chances and having regrets.  The message being portrayed in these lyrics are very clear and very powerful.

The Immortals

The open road, the path of greatness, it’s at your fingers

Go be the one, that keeps on fighting, go be the stranger

Just put your foot, in front the other, crow like the rooster

We are allowed to get us something, fear is a danger

I say

Spill out on the streets and start, right away

Find out what you are, face to face

The windows are, the perfect picture, they’re always changing

Go on get lost, jump in the waters, when they are raging

I say

Spill out on the streets and start, right away

Find out what you are, face to face

Once you’ve had enough, carry on

Don’t forget to love, before your gone

Sum it Up……

Overall, I am very impressed with this album.  The Kings of Leon managed to make everyone happy while introducing a new maturity in their writing that we’ve never heard before.  I highly recommend you check out some of the tracks:

http://radioactive.kingsofleon.com/