Well, it looks like my upcoming trip to Stockholm could be stymied by the simmering British Airways dispute over Heathrow working practices. Still, looking on the bright side of things, it gives me an excuse to use the word 'stymied' which is always a good thing in my blog.
Funny how railing against modernisation makes you luddite pariahs when it means buggering up peoples holidays, when taking the same attitude in the rock music industry has you feted as visionaries. Which is as good a time as any to give you my considered verdict on this months megahyped album release - Youth and Young Manhood by that hairy, lairy San Diego bunch Kings Of Leon.
It's not hard to see the appeal of YAYM as it's dirty country-rock-blues-boogie given a bold, clean production making for a sound not unlike The Strokes on weed and cheap whisky. If anything there's a bit too much polish and not enough spit for my tastes (perhaps this is less of a problem with their live shows) but it should have a strong appeal for fans of QOTSA and Foo Fighters.
The lead singer has a terrific growl on him and there's half-a-dozen no-nonsense tunes here good enough to be jukebox favourites for years to come. But for me it's only on Trani the slowest but conversely most ferocious track on the album where the group truly hint at genius.
Given the giant steps the likes of Lambchop, Wilco and Calexico have made in terms of broadening the remit of alt.country by introducing different flavours and rhythms from other music styles, KOL seem to be a regressive force within an already retro movement. The back-to-basics approach seems to be working with critics and record-buyers alike, but in this age of Travis, Coldplay et al maybe it's just a relief to give it up for a band unafraid to rawk loud and party hard.
The Parallax View verdict - Kings Of Leon may not be quite up there with the Strokes and the Stripes of this world, but they're not Andrew WK or The Libertines either. A cautious, but hairy, thumbs up then.
Funny how railing against modernisation makes you luddite pariahs when it means buggering up peoples holidays, when taking the same attitude in the rock music industry has you feted as visionaries. Which is as good a time as any to give you my considered verdict on this months megahyped album release - Youth and Young Manhood by that hairy, lairy San Diego bunch Kings Of Leon.
The lead singer has a terrific growl on him and there's half-a-dozen no-nonsense tunes here good enough to be jukebox favourites for years to come. But for me it's only on Trani the slowest but conversely most ferocious track on the album where the group truly hint at genius.
Given the giant steps the likes of Lambchop, Wilco and Calexico have made in terms of broadening the remit of alt.country by introducing different flavours and rhythms from other music styles, KOL seem to be a regressive force within an already retro movement. The back-to-basics approach seems to be working with critics and record-buyers alike, but in this age of Travis, Coldplay et al maybe it's just a relief to give it up for a band unafraid to rawk loud and party hard.
The Parallax View verdict - Kings Of Leon may not be quite up there with the Strokes and the Stripes of this world, but they're not Andrew WK or The Libertines either. A cautious, but hairy, thumbs up then.
Labels: kings of leon
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