Getting schooled on the Kings Of Leon
It had to of been three or four years ago a friend of mine sent me a song titled ‘The Bucket' by a band that called themselves Kings Of Leon. At the time I hadn't even heard of this group and was hesitant to click the link. But putting my pickiness aside, and quickly getting over their name, I clicked the link and low and behold the four Followills from the South could most certainly rock. Nonetheless, the anthemic upbeat single from 2006's Aha Shake Heartbreak made me keep a close ear to their progressing career.
So two albums later and a lot more fans (they released a song called “Fans” on 2007's Because Of Times) and after missing the first leg of their latest tour, I couldn't say no to a three hour drive last Monday night to see KOL at Michigan State University, the only show in the “area” for awhile.
After vehicle problems causing to switch cars twice, a lecture from the border cop about efficient border crossing (man these guys must get bored some days) and roundabout on MSU campus that definitely gave us the roundabout, we made it. And hot damn was it ever worth it.
As my ticket was being ripped, the distorted bass of ‘Crawl' echoed through the doors. The show had begun and a quick sprint brought me up a couple flights of stairs where I was born into an auditorium of thousands of seats filled with thousands of people and a presence on stage that was almost overwhelming at first. The first collar grabbing guitar riff of the song was a delectable slap in the face and the show only continued to impress from there.
The first four songs were from each of their four albums. I'm no rock star, nor a rocket scientist, but that is how you please all your fans. From there they played a packed set list that dipped into the last (and first) six years of their career and the crowd couldn't have been happier, filling the building with their own electricity. Lead singer, Caleb Followill, mentioned a couple of times how amazed he was with the fans energy, complimenting East Lansing saying their better than Detroit “Rock” city.
Kings of Leon are officially Kings of the music world.
It may be surprising but KOL sold 28 million records worldwide before 2008's Only By The Night was even released. The three brothers and their cousin have had huge success across the pond before their latest album catapulted them into a brand new fame here at home in North American. Yes, they had a large cult following, but nothing like today's crowd.
The tune ‘Sex On Fire' has hit the airwaves everywhere and has done fair on the charts (#1 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks and #56 on the Billboard Hot 100). The first single off O.B.T.N also earned them their first two Grammy nods.
But if you are just coming into Kings craze and are seduced by the sexual lyrics of ‘Sex On Fire', I suggest picking up (or download, you pirates!) their 2003 debut Youth and Youngman Hood. Tracks like ‘Red Morning Light', ‘Molly's Chambers', ‘California Waiting' all display the distinct sound and attitude the young group embody.
These characteristics carry over into Aha Shake, with their demeanor screaming out in songs like the aforementioned ‘The Bucket', and ‘Razz', ‘Taper Jean Girl', ‘Four Kicks'...really the whole album sounded nothing like anything at its time.
From here the band's next albums, Because of Times and Only By The Night, gave the four family members an avenue to be more experimental with their sound and focused a lot more production into their work. Talking to people who have been fans from the get-go, they have mixed feelings about KOL's newer stuff. But there is no doubt that the band has produced four incredible albums in only six years. And as the oldest member of the band, Nathan (drums), is only 30 and the youngest, Jared (bass), is only 22...well I think we have a lot more to hear from this rock n' roll family.
So two albums later and a lot more fans (they released a song called “Fans” on 2007's Because Of Times) and after missing the first leg of their latest tour, I couldn't say no to a three hour drive last Monday night to see KOL at Michigan State University, the only show in the “area” for awhile.
After vehicle problems causing to switch cars twice, a lecture from the border cop about efficient border crossing (man these guys must get bored some days) and roundabout on MSU campus that definitely gave us the roundabout, we made it. And hot damn was it ever worth it.
As my ticket was being ripped, the distorted bass of ‘Crawl' echoed through the doors. The show had begun and a quick sprint brought me up a couple flights of stairs where I was born into an auditorium of thousands of seats filled with thousands of people and a presence on stage that was almost overwhelming at first. The first collar grabbing guitar riff of the song was a delectable slap in the face and the show only continued to impress from there.
The first four songs were from each of their four albums. I'm no rock star, nor a rocket scientist, but that is how you please all your fans. From there they played a packed set list that dipped into the last (and first) six years of their career and the crowd couldn't have been happier, filling the building with their own electricity. Lead singer, Caleb Followill, mentioned a couple of times how amazed he was with the fans energy, complimenting East Lansing saying their better than Detroit “Rock” city.
Kings of Leon are officially Kings of the music world.
It may be surprising but KOL sold 28 million records worldwide before 2008's Only By The Night was even released. The three brothers and their cousin have had huge success across the pond before their latest album catapulted them into a brand new fame here at home in North American. Yes, they had a large cult following, but nothing like today's crowd.
The tune ‘Sex On Fire' has hit the airwaves everywhere and has done fair on the charts (#1 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks and #56 on the Billboard Hot 100). The first single off O.B.T.N also earned them their first two Grammy nods.
But if you are just coming into Kings craze and are seduced by the sexual lyrics of ‘Sex On Fire', I suggest picking up (or download, you pirates!) their 2003 debut Youth and Youngman Hood. Tracks like ‘Red Morning Light', ‘Molly's Chambers', ‘California Waiting' all display the distinct sound and attitude the young group embody.
These characteristics carry over into Aha Shake, with their demeanor screaming out in songs like the aforementioned ‘The Bucket', and ‘Razz', ‘Taper Jean Girl', ‘Four Kicks'...really the whole album sounded nothing like anything at its time.
From here the band's next albums, Because of Times and Only By The Night, gave the four family members an avenue to be more experimental with their sound and focused a lot more production into their work. Talking to people who have been fans from the get-go, they have mixed feelings about KOL's newer stuff. But there is no doubt that the band has produced four incredible albums in only six years. And as the oldest member of the band, Nathan (drums), is only 30 and the youngest, Jared (bass), is only 22...well I think we have a lot more to hear from this rock n' roll family.
