Come Around Sundown-Kings Of Leon

Kings Of Leon-Come Around Sundown

The Kings Of Leon drop their earlier sound in favor of a new arena ready sound that more often than not is a letdown to fans of their earlier music. This cd is better than their last effort however. The one area I feel like they dropped the ball would be lyrically, as Caleb said himself all the lyrics were ad libbed in the studio, and it shows. Sub par on the front end, things do pick up slightly towards the end.

The End-This song enters U2 territory with its tapping drums and atmospheric guitar intro that flows into nothing more than a repetitive plucking baseline and accentual guitars. This definitely sounds like it belongs on their last effort, Only By The Night. As an album opener it falls short of their previous openers but at the same time is a decent indicator of what to expect on this album. --63/100

Radioactive- The lead single off this album was met with much backlash, although it was more so over the video than the actual song itself. That being said, when listening to this song it sounds like the boys from Tennessee are just going through the motions. It's a decent enough song without doubt, but would unquestionably pale in comparison to a number of songs on their first three discs. --67/100

Pyro- It begins with a twinkling guitar riff and a down tempo drumbeat that sets the tone early. As previously noted, this is the sound of a band that has reached the top and probably feels like they don't have anything left to prove. This is apparent in the quality of the songs, which are generally lower. There's not much interesting to report in this song, although the last minute of the song at least provides something worthwhile to listen to which cannot be said for most of the track. --64/100

Mary-It's not until the fourth song on the cd that the listener is rewarded for trudging through the first three tracks. With its groovy bass and nice rhythm guitar sections, the instruments are nicely complimented by the backing vocals and Caleb's voice. A nice guitar solo is sprinkled in the middle that really gives this song the legs it needs to be a winner. --73/100

The Face-This could be one of my least favorite tracks on the album. It's repetitive nature and lack of an interesting instrumental aspect really holds this song down. I do like the guitar part from Matthew, the lead guitarist, but overall this song is missing something. --67/100

The Immortals- Another down tempo track full of what you've come to expect from KOL over the past 2 years. There's not much to write about this song because it's neither good nor bad, it just exists. The lyrics are repetitive as is the overall sound. Another one of several songs on the cd that is missing that raw edge that used to be present in their band. --67/100

Back Down South- One of the better songs on the album, Back Down South shows the Kings moving into new territory with this arena ready country anthem. The difference this time is the influx of new instruments such as the violin. Combine that with a pounding bass drum beat that moves the song along at a brisk pace, and Caleb's voice sounds especially good on this track. Highly recommended for fans of the band, as this song could easily fall into place on any of their first three albums. --80/100

Beach Side-A surfy, sunny track that propels itself with its warm bass beat and guitar tracks that intertwine well to give the song a signature sound. Instrumentally speaking I feel like the song is well crafted and is well composed. --74/100

No Money- The nifty bass kicks in, and once the backing vocals chime in, you hear the new KOL at their best. Good drums as well as the churning guitars of Matthew and Caleb really help this song find its way. The solo starts out a little slow but eventually builds into something noteworthy, and it sounds especially good when the backing vocals come back in.--83/100

Pony Up-The poppy drums accentuate the almost identical guitar parts from Matthew and Caleb, and bassist Jared chimes in with a funky bass riff straight from their earlier music. If the band isn't going to turn back the timetable to 2003, then this is the direction that they should head. Not the best song on the cd, but a solid effort that fans of the band should enjoy. --74/100

Birthday-This song contains in my opinion some of the best bass on the cd, while the drums aren't particularly memorable. This is another example of how most of their new music is aimed at a different audience than before, but this isn't particularly a bad thing on this song. I do enjoy the twitching guitar that seems to tick along with the beat. --70/100

Mi Amigo- Instrumentally this is my favorite song on the cd, as I think they find their stride as musicians on this track. The tempo-keeping bass chugs along with short strumming guitar parts that pick up when Caleb sings, "Go on, you know," as the instruments all chime back in to create a nice full sound. My favorite part of the album comes in the last verse in the transition between verse and chorus. Overall a solid if not unspectacular song, and one that should be listened to more than once. --80/100

Pickup Truck-Not a huge fan of this song, although the creeping baseline at the beginning is a nice addition. This sounds like KOL-lite, something they can't seem to get away from now a days. --61/100

OVERALL SCORE--68/100