This album came out and hit a nerve in me. I hadn’t been a big fan of Kings of Leon in the past. I of course liked “Use Somebody” and “Sex On Fire,” but I had never listened through their albums. I have to believe that this album came across my radar from radio plays of “Waste A Moment” – the first single. There was also an article that came across my twitter feed about the band and their struggles with addiction which, unfortunately, I can’t find now. Having that bit of background context on the artist surrounding this album added my connection to it when I later listened.
In the fall of 2016, I was working at an internship in Williamsburg and I would play this album as I went for walks after work. I’d walk over to the East River and sit at a bench in the cool evening; watching the sun set over the city. The sound of Caleb Followill’s voice always seems to reach inside me and pull out these painful emotions. At the time, I felt sure that this was one of my top five favorite albums.
Waste A Moment
The song opens with a classic Kings of Leon sound. The electric guitar and bass guitars come in with this rocking energy that I really like about their music.
I admit that I often misunderstand the lyrics to their songs, or at least I don’t pay attention. For this song, I only catch a few words until the obvious “take the time to waste a moment.” The uniqueness of Caleb Followill’s voice usually generates the mood of the song and I go with it. I love the way that he ends each line with a vocal effect that conveys a certain flair. From experience alone in my car, it’s so hard to imitate.
Reverend
There’s a western feeling I get when I listen to this album. It’s somewhat similar to the feeling I get when I listen to The Killers. The best that I can describe is that their voices just sound like they’re in a desert. Check out Kings of Leon’s performance tribute to The Eagles during the 2016 Kennedy Center Honors and you’ll get a visual sense of what I’m talking about.
I really enjoy the chorus of this song
“Just like the reverend, like the reverend on the radio
Your heart will never say so
Your heart will never let it go”
Around The World
This is one of the lightest songs on the album. The guitar solos in this song are so fun. The one at 1:15 has this slow groove to it that continues the song’s light feel.
Find Me
The opening guitar riff in this song hooks me in so quick. The guitars in general have this classic rock feel that I love, especially with the instrumental at 2:45.
“See you in the Western sky
On the best of nights
Out in the dark
You always seem to come my way
Come and take your shape
Out in the stars”
Lyrically, this song sets up an atmosphere with these lines. It connects to my evenings looking west towards Manhattan. Overall, this album evokes feelings and images, more than thoughts or ideas, in me.
Over
This is the darkest song of the album. My usual interpretation is that this was the pain at the end of a relationship and I think I related to it on that level. However, in my research and reading of the lyrics, I think that this song could definitely be talking about suicide. There is a desperation that I feel in Caleb’s voice and the lyrics can be read as really vulnerable.
The reference to my alma mater always catches me off guard.
“The boys of NYU, they saw you coming from miles away”
Muchacho
Stuck in my head often, “Muchacho” comes to mind at unusual times. It’s a sad song in remembrance of a friend. I don’t think I consciously relate to it when I listen but it still brings up some emotion. Then when I feel that emotion, the memory of this song is triggered.
The feel is very light and I definitely picture myself riding a horse slowly down a dirt road as I listen.
I’m not really sure what the following lines mean, but I really like them.
“He’s wearing jean on jean
Cut him some slack, fox”
For the last 30 seconds, I always whistle along.
Conversation Piece
When I go for runs, every so often I put this song on. The riff repeats and keeps a good pace that I can sort of meditate to.
Despite the repetitive structure of the song, I feel a big payoff during the bridge at 2:40 (“Muchacho” and “Find Me” also are interesting at 2:40 what a strange pattern).
I find it interesting that every time he sings the line “Won’t you come ’round my way for some conversation, please?” , he does so with a different intonation.
Eyes On You
This is a song that I nod my head to. There’s a lot of poetry in the lyrics even though I don’t usually pay attention. Read through them if you want.
At 2:30, a little earlier this time, there’s a great guitar solo.
When I was on a long drive with my father once, I played through this album and when we reached this song he said the album was really good. That filled me with warmth. I love when people I care about enjoy the music that I show them.
Wild
For whatever reason, I skip this song sometimes. I think it connects less with me since the chorus feels less clear spoken and I don’t get the mood of the song as strongly.
WALLS
One of my favorite songs of all time not because it has the greatest meaning or that it is musically well done, but because it feels so authentic. The simplicity of the music allows the focus to be on the vocals which convey so much emotion.
The song sets such a strong mood of pain and regret. There’s this feeling that the singer has faced trouble and failed. I always relate to the song in feeling that there was a struggle I had in a past relationship to navigate and understand myself and how to feel emotion when in that dynamic. The line “Oh a man ain’t a man” especially makes me feel the struggle of feeling secure in my masculinity. With societal pressure that tell me one thing and examples of how those pressures are flawed, it’s not always easy to know how to act and feel.
When the track reaches the bridge, I’m always hit so hard by the line:
“You tore out my heart
And you threw it away”
Even though my heartbreak didn’t happen in quite that way, I alway feel like my emotion is the same as the singer. This is a song I’d listen to all the time. I’d listen when I went for sad walks or when I lay in bed at night and it always brought out a deep response.
The music video is one of the best I’ve seen. Like the music, it’s simple and puts the focus on the singing. The constant direct eye contact creates this honest connection that adds to the authenticity of his voice. The transition at the ending of the video happens so smoothly- enhancing the power of the song. I love the image and feel of that last segment and I visualize it whenever I listen.
Golden Flamingos 