By admin
Following on from 2013’s ‘Mechanical Bull’, Kings of Leon have returned with a batch of three new singles prior to the release of their forthcoming seventh studio LP titled ‘WALLS’. Having heard the most recent single ‘Around The World’ I think it’s safe to say that both new and old fans can be rest assured that the Followill family have failed to disappoint. Why do I say this? Well, as far as the songwriting goes, ‘Around The World’ exemplifies that the band are writing as well as they ever have, and added to the mix is a rejuvenated and relaxed sound, but there are still shades of the old Kings of Leon we grew to love.
On initial impression, I thought ’Around The World’ was actually reminiscent of another Kings of Leon song called ‘Ragoo’; an upbeat album track taken from their third album ‘Because Of The Times’ (2007). This is a good thing, as not only does this highlight that the band have not drastically deviated from their style, but it also gives older fans something to latch onto. ‘Around The World’ opens with Matt Followill (lead guitar) playing a high, groovy chord progression, which is then joined by the rest of the band. The highlight of this song is Jared Followill’s (bass) creative and playful bassline, which is all too alluring.
There are other aspects in ‘Around The World’ which prove to be a testament to the band’s songwriting ability, such as the simple and concise structure of the song, Caleb Followill’s (vocals, rhythm guitar) talent in writing melodies which you can’t forget and Matt Followill’s distinctive lead breaks. Aside from the obvious, it is the subtle falsetto backing vocals and the low key synthesisers which further elevate the song.
However, ‘Around The World’ does not come without its imperfections, if anything the chorus (whilst being relatively catchy) is not as striking as it perhaps could be, and the introduction and outro are verging on being too lengthy, but these hiccups are certainly nothing to be too bothered about. ‘Around The World’ manages to encapsulate the maturity of a band seven albums deep, but does so in a carefree and breezy attitude, highlighting that Kings of Leon are still on their game and that they have got more great tunes left in the tank.
‘WALLS’ will be released October 14th.
