Album Review

Now that My Morning Jacket has raised the bar and shown that modern Southern rock can be far more expansive than rehashed Allman Brothers’ riffs, the gauntlet has been thrown down. Kings Of Leon answers the challenge quite well on their fourth album, Only By The Night.

It’s been a natural upward progression for the Followill family (brothers Caleb on vocals, Jared on bass, and Nathan on drums, joined by cousin Matthew on lead guitar), culminating in 2006’s outstanding Because Of The Times. And while the new album may lack some of its predecessor’s uninhibited swagger and fire, it makes up for it in confidence and polish, with killer riffs and hooks permeating the entire affair.

Things never stray too far from a blueprint that Kings Of Leon does quite well. Things usually start off quietly on each song, often with just one instrument establishing the riff. The rest of the band then kicks in to fill up the empty space, before things eventually open up into a huge chorus. But the formula doesn’t get stale because of the Kings’ ability to bounce confidently from genre to genre without ever losing their identity.

You can find some Zeppelin-style crunch on “Crawl,” with Nathan providing the Bonham bombast. If you want something slower, there’s Caleb moaning “I’m too young to feel this old” on the soulful closer “Cold Desert.” How about some power-pop, Tennessee-style? “Use Somebody” provides it.

Caleb still writes 99% of his stuff about girls, but he tries to vary his take on them with each song. Sometimes, he sees them as salvation (“Use Somebody”); more often than not, he sees them as temptations of the flesh to which he’s all too ready to yield (“Sex On Fire” and “I Want You”). More interesting is “Closer,” which uses images of haunted houses and apocalyptic storms to convey a destructive love, matching up well with the ominous, crashing music.

Some of the lyrics veer disconcertingly close to southern clichés that are better suited to Kid Rock, and Caleb needs to work on conveying something other than anguish with his moaning and wailing style. If he’d trust the excellent melodies more, they’d carry him along just fine.

He does just that on a pair of the album’s finest numbers. “Someone Like You” is outstanding, with Matthew’s guitar building up into thrilling crescendos before the chorus explodes. And the standout track, “Revelry,” tells the tale of a guy who can’t help choosing empty good times over the love of a good woman. It’s one of the oldest stories in the books, but the Kings nail it on this slow-burner. When Caleb sings “I’m dreaming of revelry,” the tinge of sorrow in his voice makes it clear that those dreams are more wistful than wondrous.

It’s always nice to see a band that’s able to expand without losing sight of the things they do best. Well-played, Kings Of Leon. Jim James, the ball is in your court.

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