Kings Of Leon – Nothing To Do

13th May 2024 · 2020s, 2024, Music, Rock

The Kings Of Leon never did much for me when they appeared 25 years ago. I always felt their story – three sons of an itinerant preacher and their cousin – was better than their music.

Still, they had a Moment and I enjoyed seeing my son’s band perform Sex On Fire at the school concert one year. I’m enjoying the fiery post-punk assault of this new tune even more.

In the past the problem for me was that they seemed to be immersed in that Southern Boogie style favoured by the likes of the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd but never got down and dirty enough.

It was all a bit sanitised, with only a light dusting of garage rock and blues: the songs a bit too short, ending just when you wanted a wild guitar solo, as if it was more important to be inoffensive than to let loose – the same issue I have with the Foo Fighters and Stereophonics.

I’m surprised to find the Followill boys are still going strong and have just released their ninth album, Can We Please Have Fun, and to be honest I have the same problem with most of it.

It’s kinda fine, but it never stirs the blood, which might be down to the influence of their English producer (Kid Harpoon), a man best known for his work with Harry Styles and Florence + The Machine.

But this track, hidden away towards the end of the album, definitely does it for me. It’s even got a guitar solo.