yew-hawbest of their 4 albums.
their most consistent, it really sounds like they are on fire and inspired.
raw rock at its best a-la 70's ac/dc or credence clearwater revival but not mere copyists, they have their own very unique twist on things.
better than the 1st album as this is more cohesive as the 1st was a mix of an earlier e.p and some new songs and as a result sounds a bit disjointed, i doubt they will ever be this good again as their next 2 albums are lacking in both fire and inspiration.
Another triumphAfter the impact of their brilliant debut album, the Kings' follow-up album was eagerly anticipated. And they delivered BIG time!
Aha Shake Heartbreak (though an odd name for an album) simply solidifies the thoughts among many (myself included) that the KOL are the best rock band to have come out of America for a long, long time.
It is chock-full of lively, driving numbers, awash with Caleb's Southern, twangy drawl, Nathan's snappy and precise drumming (check out "Velvet Snow") and Matthew and Jared's solid bass-lines and catchy riffing.
Top tracks include "Slow Night, So Long", "The Bucket", "Velvet Snow" and "Taper Jean Girl". "Milk" is a bit of an odd song as it's hard to understand what the opening lyrics are about, but it does build up well and is a good contrast to the others. And if there is a low-point, I would say it was "Day Old Blues", which just seems out of place. The pace of the album overall matches "Youth and Young Manhood" but my one criticism is that a lot of the songs are just too short and seem to be a bit rushed through.
Is it better than their debut? Personally I don't think so. (It certainly doesn't "[...] all over Youth and Young Manhood" like NME claimed it would). But it is a brilliant album, cementing the Kings' status as one of the top bands in the world today.
SOUTHERN SPECTACULARHow does one describe this album, southern american rock maybe, but oh how it rocks. Their first album was excellent, but they have actually gone one better.
This is one band you must listen too, because to describe them it would all just come out wrong, so do yourself a favour and treat yourself to some magic and make your own mind up.
SHEER CLASS
In the top 5 albums of all time!This album is just sheer brilliance, it has changed my taste in music completely. If someone described this album to me before I'd listened to it, I probably would have avoided it. Thank God I didn't!
It is brilliant all the way through, I saw them live in June 05 in London, and they were absolutely brilliant.
Not enough words in the English language to describe how awesome this album is.
If it's not already in your CD collection, or on your iPod, I have already lost respect for you!
Fantastic band, fantastic album - speechless!
The best American rock album this centuryKings of Leon may claim a preposterous history and have a reputation of being party-hard immature youths, but their music speaks depths of their true genius. Their second album, "A-Ha Shake Heartbreak", is both a clear improvement on their already incredibly good first offering ("Youth and Young Manhood")and proof of a real understanding of what rock is really about.
And not only do Kings of Leon know the meaning of rock, but also know how to help it evolve. Just listen to the first track on the album, 'Slow Night, So Long', which although has less immediate impact than the opener on "YAYM", brings their original sound to new levels. No one could have expected the jazzy, sombre feel of the ending section. I was amazed, and loved them more with every passing chord.
The third track, 'Taper Jean Girl', as well as being my personal favourite, proves that Kings of Leon know exactly what direction they are headed. It is confident, rhythmic and has, in my opinion anyway, one of the greatest riffs in any rock song in the past decade. A stunning song.
'The Bucket' is another obvious strongpoint, but unexpectedly (if not for the yodelling)'Day Old Blues'is quite enjoyable, and 'Pistol of Fire' and 'King of the Rodeo' also live up to this standard. There are no fillers. No weak songs. Kings of Leon are determined to make an impression on the world of rock, and who knows, with this album, they might even change it.
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