Kings of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak
The kings have made their mighty return. The boys have seen and done a lot and have matured a bit since their mega debut “Youth And Manhood”
We start things off with “Slow Night, So Long” starts off rather slow with some jumpy yet soft bass. It’s a slow and calmer start to the album I think we can even say this track is a bit Who influenced. “Pistol of Fire” is about well sex. The band have been noted to of had their first experiences while supporting their debut. They did travel the world a few times. The lyrics are a bit on the silly side. They don’t seem to take a serious approach to it. “Its gonna tickle your gonna giggle, its gonna tickle, tickle for free” I don’t know about these lyrics. “The Bucket” is clearly the most accessible track on the album and one of the finer songs by the boys. The song deals with the times and trials of touring. It’s got a catchy hook and grabs you it keeps you hanging with that those rapid tom toms. “The Bucket” is a fine track that really kicks up the tempo of the album. “Soft” is a nice jumpy little number. It deals with of course the topics of sex. Yes, he did say “perfect nipples” but the instrumentation almost reminds me of the Strokes. “Razz” has a brilliant intro with that inducing bass. The track is certainly one you can move around to that bass line takes center stage. A true highlight of the record. “Four Kicks” clocks in as our shortest track. It does pack a punch. “Caleb” sounds frantic here and that guitar riff is very catchy. Its got that messy and dirty appeal it isn’t too catchy. It’s quick and brilliant.
The Kings have made a solid second album. Lyrically it’s not their finest hour. But it’s an interesting tale of a group of young men indulging in beer, women and seeing the world. I know these guys are capable of making a amazing album its inside them and only time will tell.
By John Siwicki
The Verve – This Is Music: The Singles 92-98
Much like Placebo, Super Furry Animals, and Supergrass – favorite bands from my teen years – The Verve is now releasing a “best of” album. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but it has been about 12 years since the release of The Verve’s first album. Now – I am not too well informed of the Verve’s early work. I will be honest: “Urban Hymns” is what got me hooked, but this is the positive aspect of a hits album – it can show you a band’s whole career or it can fill you in on what you have missed or it can help you remember those magic moments you had with certain hit singles. Also, it reminds you of how good a band really is. That is the case with The Verve. The Verve were a brilliant band. Tracks like “This Is Music” and “On Your Own” are purely classic songs that can’t be touched or rivaled by any other band’s work.
Since the demise of The Verve, some members have branched off into other bands. Richard, the lead singer, went solo and Simion, the guitarist, toured with Blur recently. But with a catalog like this, it will be hard to top the work done by The Verve. This is their music and this is their legacy.
By John Siwicki