Only By The Night

The follow-up to ‘Because Of The Times’ lands after a summer standing atop the world’s festivals, including Glastonbury’s hallowed turf. But how much has actually changed chez Ranch Followhill, Tennessee? Initially, as these reverb-soaked ‘80s anthems for a lost America drift by, rich in widescreen, FM-friendly highways, you might suspect the quartet have been doing nothing more than sitting around watching Brat Pack classics, shaving voraciously and trying to locate the middle-ground between U2 and Meatloaf. Do these archetypal songs about sex (‘17’), drugs (‘Revelry’) and deserts (er ‘Cold Desert’) really suggest Kings Of Leon can shoot for rock’s top table?

Well, we here at 7digital think so and for the emphatic evidence check the barnstorming style the band fly out of the traps. The phasing, laser FX and strangled guitars of ‘Closer’ is a colossal, career-defining opener, while ‘Crawl’ suggests Secret Machines, Oasis and Led Zeppelin have taken tea with Grandma Followill. ‘Sex On Fire’ might be a cautionary tale for those who feel there is room for flamethrowers in the bedroom, but the canyon-sized chorus will surely devour stadiums the world over and hopefully Bono too, while ‘Use Somebody’ confirms Kings have as much in common with Arcade Fire as Creedence. Now shave that beard off, loser!