Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown


BY BURAK ŞAHİN (IR/III)
burak_s@ug.bilkent.edu.tr

Finally here they are. The long expectation is over. Kings of Leon released their fifth studio album, Come Around Sundown. After their sensational tour, they locked themselves in the studio and recorded 13 songs. Right after their most successful album, Only by the Night, they're making a bigger impact.

The Grammy award-winning band really impressed with their performances on the stage, except for the Reading Festival and St. Louis concerts. About the Reading Festival, Caleb Followill said, "That was my Kurt Cobain moment when I was hating the success and I was scared that people were thinking that we did this on purpose, that we made this record (2008's Only by The Night) so that it could be big." The St. Louis concert failed because after only 3 songs, a pigeon pooped into bassist Jared Followill's mouth and they ended to gig. Maybe the incident was bad but everybody asked, "Did they have to end to performance?"

Then a new question was raised: "Have they become arrogant?" To be honest, they have not. Kings of Leon already declared that they want to perform in the big festivals and stadiums; they want to be like U2. What they do not want is to stay like a cult band with a tiny following, so the band started to record Come Around Sundown. Their first video from the album was "Radioactive," and it was highly criticized. Some people say Kings of Leon have sold out and are playing to the commercialized side of popular music. The most annoying part of the video, however, is the fact that Jared is playing a piano in the video, but there is no piano part in the song.

Despite this criticism, I must say that the album is really successful. They have taken another step down the road they planned. "Radioactive" is a hit. The other songs are as good as the band's first single. "The End" is the opening track of the album, and like most of their opening track, it rocks. "Pyro," "The Face," and "Back Down South" are typical but upgraded Kings of Leon songs. "Beach Side" and "Pony Up" are a little bit funk. The most essential songs are "Immortals," "Mi Amigo," "Birthday," and "No Money."

When you will listen to Come Around Sundown, you might say, "it is OK but not as satisfactory as Only by the Night." Comparing the two albums this way, however, is a mistake. Come Around Sundown is more based on musicality, the lyrics are interesting because some are melancholy. Here is one of them from "Mi Amigo": 
My little friend
Shoots me up and downtown
When I cant get me drunk enough
She pick me out the pieces
Of a place I call home
To sing a song
Till I'm gone

If you are a fan of Kings of Leon, you will be happy with listening this album, but If you have not heard this band yet, start with Only by the Night, just in case.