After the mammoth success that was 'Only By The Night', its follow up has become one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year, if not the most. Despite being touted as a return to their roots, 'Come Around Sundown' is hardly a u-turn for Kings of Leon, who pack their fifth studio album with more large-scale Southern guitar rock that will see the Followills continue to pack out stadiums for some years to come.
There are two types of Kings of Leon fan; those that lament the loss of their crude, hillbilly Youth and Young Manhood days, and those that prefer the stadium rock sound they've grown into. Though claiming to hark back to their early material, and even succeeding in doing so with the swaggering blues rock of 'Mi Amigo', the spacious production style on 'Come Around Sundown' is still likely to suit the latter better.
KoL's country and blues influences do seem more prominent here. Beneath its blanket of distortion, 'Mary' twangs of 1950s romantic rock and roll until it ejects a guitar solo of colossal proportions. Elsewhere, slide guitar and fiddle give 'Back Down South' a pleasant bluegrass twist but it grows tiresome towards the end. It's not the only one, either - 'The Immortals' is held up only by its punchy bass line while 'The Face' drudges along with little to recommend it besides Caleb Followill's rough and ready croak. Followill's vocals are still easily the most thrilling thing about KoL, adding character and distinction to melodies that are often otherwise unspectacular.
For the most part, 'Come Around Sundown' is actually quite a downbeat record, with single 'Radiation' and 'No Money' the only tracks with the kick of KoL's previous big hits. That said, 'The End' does have that anthemic quality likely to make a live favourite. With few of the potential hits of its predecessor, 'Come Around Sundown' may not be as widely adored, but its lower key offerings may yet prove to be growers.
