Retiring in your mid-30s is the new dream. And this is exactly what Kings of Leon seemed to do immediately after releasing their most successful albums. Since “Sex on Fire” became an international hit, they’ve been able to coast both live and in the studio.
Meanwhile, the reputation of their early Strokes-like, alt-rock albums has grown as an unattainable myth. The Followills believe it, too.
With this in mind, Kings of Leon have no choice but to mark their return with a story. Theirs is one of bad-news, dangerous rockers set out to conquer what was once theirs. Press statements mention their desire to go back to the roots of their early sound. But don’t they say this for every new Kings of Leon album? Is this any different?
Having Fun With Kings of Leon Is a Bit of a Chore Nowadays
Well, like every new Kings of Leon album, there’s absolutely no reason to be completely disappointed and none to glue their posters back on your wall. The quartet does possess that certain talent. They sound like an important band. They just don’t want to focus long enough to do much with it.
There’s a certain talent that Kings of Leon possess, especially Caleb Followill. The singer’s vocals sound down and out as if they belong to a man on the verge of losing it all. Followill has been using this to great effect on slow, meditative songs for years. That’s the meat and potatoes of “Can We Please Have Some Fun.”
The two questions worth asking are: “Do fans want slow songs from Kings of Leon?” and “Are Kings of Leon really having fun here?”
The answer to both, sadly, is probably “no.” Nearly every review/PR statement for “Can We Please Have Some Fun” trumpeted the fact that this was a return to the band’s rocking first albums. While I really enjoy Kings of Leon, it is not that. Nor does the band sound like it has more energy than it has had in in recent years.
One of the dreams of modern young people is the ability to retire early. Kings of Leon made such a great impression early on in their careers that they’ve quasi-retiredhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMJyD23nKrk&ab_channel=kingsofleonVEVO. Their last albums sound like the work of old men destined for the nostalgia circuit.
While “Can We Please Have Some Fun” throws in a few colorful lines about Mustangs and bodybuilding mags, and while Followill yells on a couple of tracks, the band doesn’t sound energized.
The Followill clan may have made music for themselves this time. But “Can We Please Have Some Fun” suggests that the music that they want to hear is the kind that can be played at a relaxed family barbecue on the weekends.
