Recently Reviewed:

LOVE LUST FAITH DREAMS
30 Seconds To Mars

Iron Man 3: Heroes Fall
Various Artists

The Neighbourhood
I Love You.

The funny thing about success in modern times is that you alienate what got you started when a larger group clings to what you have. You can try to avoid it, but a majority of the time you will move past the original group. That’s what’s happened with Kings of Leon. They are a completely different band now than what they were 5 years ago… But when you think about that statement… What band with members under 40 doesn’t change in 5 years time? Kings of Leon’s “Come Around Sundown” does what you would expect. There are brief moments where they come off as trying to hold on to the past, but for the most part the music from “Only by the Night” is on the same plain with “Come Around Sundown.” The common theme is the big, lush, atmospheric songs like “Radioactive” and “Back Down South”- those songs are basically modern Kings of Leon examples A and B. If you love Kings of Leon for their last two albums- you will love the new album. There’s some growth and they still sound the same- but if you hold this album next to the band’s previous effort- “Only by the Night” is still superior. Kings of Leon came into a tough spot with “Come Around Sundown” but they responded with a good album. It’s true that the group that followed them their first few years isn’t going to be singing the band’s praises this go around… but that’s pretty much the world we live in and it couldn’t be avoided. It’s not as good as the last album, but it’s still a great piece of music.