Kings of Leon return with the release of their highly anticipated fourth album 'Only By The Night' on 22nd September through Columbia Records. 'Only By The Night' is a bold and expansive sonic statement that looks set to solidify Kings of Leon's position as one of the most important international acts of 2008 and beyond. It follows rapidly in the footsteps of the bands previous albums 'Youth And Young Manhood', 'Aha Shake Heartbreak' & 'Because Of The Times', which have quickly established them as one of the most prolific and acclaimed acts around.
Despite a wave of criticism asserting that Kings of Leon's fourth full-length is "too commercial," Only by the Night may be the closest thing to a pitch-perfect album to drop in 2008. Granted, Tennessee's band of brothers (and one first cousin) takes a turn for the heavily polished here, but what the album lacks in rough-edged raunch, it more than makes up for in earnestness and--yes--stunning beauty. From the opening notes of "Closer" to the listing balladry of "Cold Desert," Only by the Night hardly misses a beat. Highlights abound, particularly in the trading off of melodic lines between instruments, and in this regard, bassist Jared Followill is the album's quiet MVP. Above these gorgeous instrumentals, singer Caleb emotes with a dramatic grit that never loses its command. A model of melodic rock composition, arranged and produced with a warm, inviting veneer, and performed with aching sincerity, these 11 tracks coalesce into a sanguine whole that eclipses the band's much-discussed rock posturing and yields more with every play. A good band's great album, Only by the Night (finally) establishes Kings of Leon as a rock act that worthy of seriously sustained attention. --Jason Kirk
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
This Album Rules!:
This album is amazing! The extra track (#12) is nothing to write home about, but this is easily the best rock album of 2008...and it's even better on vinyl!
Better than the first few albums!:
I have been listening to this album a lot, and I can't get the songs out of my head. I think this surpasses their first few albums by leaps and bounds. If you kind of liked there previous albums give this one a listen, and you will be as hooked as I am.
Strong Material:
Very good release by a hot young band of brothers. The obvious hit "Sex On Fire", is excellent, and the rest of the material stands the test. I recommend this.
Long live the Kings!:
This is one of those CD's that I like from beginning to end. There are songs that stand out more than others; Closer, Sex on Fire, and Be Somebody for example. The fuzzy bass riff that dominates Crawl makes it one of my personal fav's. I'm hopeful that these guys stay in it for the long haul and that we can expect many more fantastic CD's.
