Domain: tiger-web1.srvr.media3.us Kings of Leon: Where'd the rock go? | Music Board
Started By
Message
locked post

Kings of Leon: Where'd the rock go?

Posted on 7/2/12 at 8:20 am
Posted by TheDoc
doc is no more
Member since Dec 2005
99297 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 8:20 am
Good article that explains a couple of things with this band:

Where'd the mojo go?

quote:

You see, the real currency of contemporary rock and roll is this: it must scare the establishment. If it doesn't make the generation before it uncomfortable, why bother? Rock has always had this edge: from Elvis's hips and the Beatles' long hair, rock borrowed the fear factor from the earlier generation of blues greats -- listen to Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters and back to Skip James and Lightning Hopkins. The music was always about danger. At it's best it still is. It's tough in this day and age to do anything that would shake the mores of America, but you gotta try to be serious rock and roll these days. The Kings were Rock and Roll.

Kings of Leon's weird and dangerous rock ways peaked with 2007's Because of the Times. The boys had come a long away from their Tennessee days -- they were immediately huge in the U.K. that embraced the band and it's odd backstory -- but the band managed to pull off an awesome record of sonic daring that might not have been as back-woods weird, but was still rock. They had been on the scene for 6 years and 3 records, but were oblivious about expectations, market or otherwise. They were so confident, they opened the record with a 7-minute number called "Knocked Up." They followed with lots of sound and structure experiments including  "Charmer" and "McFearless." The band was loud, obnoxious and unapologetic. The rock possibilities seemed endless. They were poised to be most important guitar rock band in the U.S.

Posted by island
Remlap
Member since Jul 2011
1196 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 8:38 am to
quote:

Kings of Leon's weird and dangerous rock


More like phony and medicore rock. Nothing weird about the music they made unless you count the singers fake country accent. I for one remember the 60's.

quote:

They were poised to be most important guitar rock band in the U.S.


It's sad when bands like this are considered groundbreaking. Lets search out of the top 100 charts for once.
Posted by weaglebeagle
Alabama
Member since Jan 2011
1559 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 8:38 am to
Maybe changing tastes within the band. Most likely pressure from record label to make something easily marketable.
Posted by beezylsu
Member since Jan 2011
2922 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 8:46 am to
quote:

Kings of Leon: Where'd the rock go?


This band really pisses me off. I was all aboard the KoL train. Youth and Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak were two fantastic albums. They still are. They refined their sound and became a little more commercial on Because of the Times. I enjoyed a number of tracks off that album. Then they released the turd known as Only By The Night. I radio ready album of dumbed down rock and roll that would appeal to the masses. "use Somebody" and "Sex on Fire" are two ghastly tracks from that shite show of an album. While all of this is going on I am hearing stories how douchey this band is (canceling shows, in fighting, drugs and alcohol) which doesn't help me like you any better. The coup de gras was their newest album, Come Around Sundown. I have an idea let's take b-sides from Only By The Night, throw in a few more radio friendly slow ballads and release a new album.

This band is dead in my eyes and is a shell of a once hungry band from Tennessee. Too bad too because they have music in there genes. Kings of Leon is a joke.
Posted by TheDoc
doc is no more
Member since Dec 2005
99297 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:11 am to
quote:

More like phony and medicore rock.


Well now they are. That's kind of the point.

But of course you didn't actually read any of the article.
Posted by MiNd DrIpS
Garden District, New Orleans
Member since May 2011
997 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:11 am to
they stopped using
Posted by TheDoc
doc is no more
Member since Dec 2005
99297 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:12 am to
quote:

Maybe changing tastes within the band. Most likely pressure from record label to make something easily marketable.


Pressure from the label. They made them dress differently and write differently.

Made them fire their long time producer buddy and make slick industry radio rock records.
Posted by TheDoc
doc is no more
Member since Dec 2005
99297 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:12 am to
quote:

they stopped rocking
Posted by Flair Chops
to the west, my soul is bound
Member since Nov 2010
35648 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:18 am to
i still enjoy them. i have their entire discography and listened to about half of it this weekend. i know they aren't what they once were and that you can justifiably label them as sell outs, but i don't care.

and i actually enjoyed most of come around sundown.

:myanusisprepared:
Posted by bobbyray21
Member since Sep 2009
9490 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:23 am to
quote:

More like phony and medicore rock. Nothing weird about the music they made unless you count the singers fake country accent. I for one remember the 60's.


Bob Dylan, who I heard was big in the 60's, was a big fan of early KOL. LOVED the song Trani.
Posted by bobbyray21
Member since Sep 2009
9490 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:24 am to
quote:

and i actually enjoyed most of come around sundown.


I did as well.
Posted by island
Remlap
Member since Jul 2011
1196 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:25 am to
quote:

Well now they are. That's kind of the point.

But of course you didn't actually read any of the article.


Oh I read the article. Their debut was nothing special to me either. I'll take The Stooges or The Strokes(Is This It) over them any day.
Posted by bobbyray21
Member since Sep 2009
9490 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:27 am to
quote:

I radio ready album of dumbed down rock and roll that would appeal to the masses. "use Somebody" and "Sex on Fire" are two ghastly tracks from that shite show of an album. While all of this is going on I am hearing stories how douchey this band is (canceling shows, in fighting, drugs and alcohol) which doesn't help me like you any better


Sex on Fire is a ghstly track.

Use Somebody is a good song, but one that happened to have a lot of radio appeal. And this is exactly what I thought when I listened to that album. You just knew "use somebody" was going to be all over the radio.

And I don't think that album is bad. I just think "Sex on Fire" sucks. I really like the song "I want you".
Posted by TheDoc
doc is no more
Member since Dec 2005
99297 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:27 am to
quote:

Their debut was nothing special to me either. I'll take The Stooges or The Strokes(Is This It) over them any day.


But why compare them to those two bands?

Totally different. Early KoL had great rock and roll songs. Even bob Dylan was a fan.

They cashed in it seems like. Which is a shame, because they were a creative/weird band.
Posted by TheDoc
doc is no more
Member since Dec 2005
99297 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:28 am to
quote:

and i actually enjoyed most of come around sundown.


It was ok. Completely forgettable IMO
This post was edited on 7/2/12 at 9:29 am
Posted by ATLwreck
Birmingham
Member since Nov 2008
5558 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:29 am to
quote:

i still enjoy them. i have their entire discography and listened to about half of it this weekend. i know they aren't what they once were and that you can justifiably label them as sell outs, but i don't care.

and i actually enjoyed most of come around sundown.


I did as well. I have nearly every song they have made too. They have changed, but still make good music IMO. They just put out a tour date in October I believe and starting to work on a new album.
Posted by TheDoc
doc is no more
Member since Dec 2005
99297 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:30 am to
They are a boring shell of what they once were though..
Posted by bobbyray21
Member since Sep 2009
9490 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:33 am to
quote:

Made them fire their long time producer buddy and make slick industry radio rock records.


Who was the producer they had to fire?
Posted by quail man
New York, NY
Member since May 2010
41227 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 9:38 am to
ethan johns
Posted by TheDoc
doc is no more
Member since Dec 2005
99297 posts
Posted on 7/2/12 at 10:09 am to
Ethan johns
Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Jump to page
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 8Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookXInstagram