The original kings of the kingdom of León, ruled over the Spanish territory until the late 16th century. The three brothers and one cousin that make up Tennessee’s Kings of Leon rule over a viable indie rock fusion and the United Kingdom (a place where their popularity and sovereign leadership are unquestioned) The Followill boys draw a collection of varied influences that range from southern rock to the delta blues, yet all the while maintaining a definite modern indie rock feel. With their third album “Because of the Times,” they’ve recorded their most intricate and complete work to date. Kicking things off with the surprisingly consistent 7 minute long opener “Knocked Up”, it becomes blatant that their latest effort has a deeper, more rewarding sound than in their previous albums. Wisely and precisely, they incorporate their magnitude of influences into the record. Influences that are ever broader than you may realize, interesting enough, The Kings originated as a country music band before finding an ear for rock and roll.
The first single off the record, and probably the most pop sensible track ever written by these guys, is the upbeat “On Call”. Starting off with a slow atmospheric sound accompanied by Caleb Followill’s recognizable drone singing the words, “She said call me now baby/And I’d come a running”, the song soon grabs your attention with a swaying buoyant bass line that serves as the true back bone to this infectious single. The album has its share of fast paced rockers for fans of the bands previous work as well, “Black Thumbnail”, “Fans”, and “Camaro” fit the bill nicely. The vibrant “Ragoo” allows the youngest brother, bassist Jared Followill, to set the tone with an almost reggae flavored bass work. And “Ragoo” exemplifies Caleb’s tradition of rather off the wall lyricism. “Just play the song and I will show it all to you/Either way you caught me whilst a lying/You caught me with my pants down”
The Kings can also do more than just rock, their best ballads yet are found here, the album closer “Arizona” and the stripped down “The Runner”. The latter probably being the most emotional lyric you’ll hear from these guys; excluding the line that states “She’s got a birthmark the shape of Maine,” go figure? “Because of the Times” may be a little harder to get into if you liked the bands previous works. Typically more demanding and complex musically, the more mature style seems to suit Caleb and the boys well though; they certainly do have the talent to execute it.
So what is the verdict you ask? Well The Kings have no trouble crafting a good old fashion rock, but Caleb’s unusual vocal can very much be a required taste. Also, much like previous outings, the album has its weak spots. This is evidence that The Followill boys are still far from perfection even in their own craft. Is it worth your time though? I’ll take a line from one the songs on the album: “Those raining days they aren’t so bad when you’re the king/The king they want to see.”
"Because of the Times" is on sale April 3, 2007 from RCA.
