Kings Of Leon still know how to Boogie but the Corporate Rock beast is rearing its head. Caught between the Boogie and the Beast, the quartet made an album, ‘Only By The Night’, that contains a bit of both.

‘Only By The Night’ will have limited appeal to fans of the band’s first two albums but might strike a note with a new audience.

If you are a long time fan, start with ‘Use Somebody’ and ‘17′, two decent additions to the Kings’ set list. Both feature the Kings’ trademark rocking guitars and sparse beat: Straight and simple. ‘Be Somebody’ and ‘Notion’ are somewhat bulkier, but pretty cool nevertheless. Beyond these songs, ‘Only By The Night’ is a totally different beast.

Listen to Kings Of Leon Playing ‘Be Somebody’ On YouTube

If you didn’t care much for the band’s earlier brand of sweaty Rock that celebrated the Rolling Stones circa their ‘Exile On Main Street’ era then listen to ‘Only By The Night’ and be pleasantly surprised. Kings Of Leon scrub up nicely with a helping of ringing U2-style guitars, new rhythm tracks with loads of breaks and vocals that are more Europeanised compared to their earlier retro US rock chic.

To reveal my colours early on, I favour the ‘old’ style Kings Of Leon who might have sounded a bit retro but did that with loads of moxy.

The ‘new’ style works best where the band gives itself time to get into the groove, like on ‘I want You’. If things get busy, then the music tends to bombast - Which doesn’t suit the Kings Of Leon very well. I find songs like ‘Closer’, ‘Crawl’ and ‘Manhattan’ simply too complex, too laboured.

But there are people who like their music a bit more complex than the old Stones routine. Fair enough, but this space is already served by the likes of Coldplay and others.

Do the Kings Of Leon add their own touch? Where they manage to do a crossover of the two styles, like on the single ‘Sex On Fire’, they inject a bit of Nashville magic into Corporate Rock. On other songs the Kings just sound like, well, a Corporate Rock band. Take your pick.

Tuneraker.com’s Definition Of Corporate Rock
You know you’re listening to Corporate Rock when…
…the song sounds like an ad for a mobile phone network
…you’re not sure if it’s not actually Coldplay auditioning a new singer
…there are more anti-septically clean, ringing guitars than on a demo by The Edge

The Kings Of Leon emerged five years ago from a garage in Nashville, Tennessee. Real life brothers Nathan, Caleb and Jared Followill and cousin Matthew were originally playing a style of Boogie-infused Rock that owed a lot to the classic Rolling Stones sound of the early 70’s and the Southern Rock of, say, the Black Crowes.

They have since toured with Pearl Jam, U2 and Bob Dylan and their sound has moved on to are more universal brand of Alternative Rock. Their new album ‘Only By The Night’ sees them moving further into the mainstream.

We say:

Readers from the UK and Ireland can download ‘Only By The Night’ with Bonus Tracks from the iTunes UK store.