It feels prefer it’s been a very long time since Kings Of Leon actually revelled in recording an album collectively. Ever since ‘Solely By The Night time’ shot the Followills to the stadium-straddling heights of their friends (The Killers, Muse) in 2008, the demand for chart-hogging hits appeared to dictate the subsequent 4 albums to the purpose the place even the Tennessee quartet cried, ‘sufficient already!’ Effectively that, and the actual fact they lastly broke free from their long-term report take care of RCA after 2021’s ‘When You See Your self’, opening the door for them to craft a report bereft of uncompromising calls for and stress.
Thus the title for album quantity 9 ‘Can We Please Have Enjoyable’ began off as a “pissed off request” from frontman Caleb Followill to get again to creating music that “made us pleased”. Talking to NME, they mentioned presents for anniversary excursions – not their bag, apparently – “pushed us to the place we’re proper now” and the need to “make one thing nice”. It then grew to become their every day work mantra as they freely laid down tracks at Nashville’s Darkish Horse studio with Child Harpoon, whose current credit embody Harry Kinds and Maggie Rogers.
Many followers might be questioning if that is lastly the report the place KOL return to the soiled rock‘n’roll roots that we fell in love with within the first place? Effectively, sure and no. Kick-ass comeback single ‘Mustang’ finds Caleb again to his howling outdated, shouty self as he sings: “Oh there’s a mustang within the metropolis and it’s calling me out,” over rollicking guitar riffs. It’s a throwback to the sound of their 2007 opus ‘As a result of Of The Instances’ and it’s by far the most effective tune they’ve launched since ‘Intercourse On Fireplace’.
The gut-punching ‘Nothing To Do’ in the meantime, comes on like a sledge-hammering Pixies quantity with its squalling riffs and tumbling guitar tempo; ‘Hesitation Era’ channels that very same fiery vitality because it throws up a stomping cheeky nod to The Velvet Underground.
And that’s sort of it in your balls-to-the-wall rock‘n’roll. The remainder of the report skirts extra acquainted anthemic territory which at instances works nicely on spine-tingling opener ‘Ballerina Radio’ and the driving Strokes meets Pleasure Division ‘Rainbow Ball’. However it falls flat on drab ballads like ‘Ease Me On’ and ‘Don’t Cease The Bleeding’. The wonderful ‘Break up Display’ does redress the stability just a little bit with its textured guitars however the album as a complete leaves you aching for extra songs like ‘Mustang’.
That is simply KOL’s most promising, liberated report for over a decade however nonetheless surprisingly restrained in locations. Can they’ve enjoyable? Sure it seems, in locations, however they might have had a complete lot extra.
Particulars
- Launch date: Might 10, 2024
- Document label: Capitol Information
