Because of the Times review

Because Of The Times draws an outlook for rock music

Just like any music style indie rock went through almost all stages of its formation. There was a revolution in the beginning of 2000’s, a great number of bands have occupied their niches in this genre at those times. By the middle of decade it gained a definite shape and even acquainted a number of stylistic standards of its own. And though a quantity of new indie releases grows in geometrical progression nowadays it is still worth to state a fact: indie rock enters its final phase of development. It has its own universally recognized stars; many performers of different genres have tried the indie sound on their songs too. It seems like few epochal albums more and a musical horizon will start filling up with the bands whose arts will receive characteristics with the prefix «post-». But just like any global phenomenon music development process is of a constant character, so it looks quite natural to pose a question “What is going to happen next?”. And it seems that we have an answer, at least a new album of everyone’s favorites Kings Of Leon called Because Of The Times looks quite capable to draw an outlook for indie rock’s life for the nearest future.

Because Of The Times differs from the early material of the band

Because Of The Times may be safely called a best album of this band to date. Though, it is better to say that it is another Kings Of Leon’s great album, especially when you remember a success of the band’s recent album. And while Followill brothers are still big fans of guitars, bass and drums polyphony the band gained some new features. A retro garage sound of their early works has vanished in the past, new album sounds bold, tense and ambitious. The first track Knocked Up is a sensitive, seven minutes intro dedicated to a theme of love. The musicians work with dynamics of performance greatly here, the song is based on a deliberate, silent verse theme which was played in such a manner that a listener always senses a feeling that the song is ready to explode with loud guitars at any moment. And this is precisely that thing which happens on the following song Charmer. This is a very unconventional variant of how a legacy of punk era may be used. The band frequently achieves a gloomy sounding like, for example, on McFearless, which features vocals with reverberation effect in the chorus. The brightest song of the album is probably Trunk, its mysterious and dark atmosphere absorbs your attention immediately and doesn’t let it loose till the very last second. It is absolutely necessary to make a mention of rhythm section’s work, especially that of a drummer who tries to avoid standards in his parties everywhere it is appropriate.

A main achievement of the album is new sounding

Kings Of Leon, just like many other bands of today, are trying to use the influences of different musical directions in their material, particularly, one can hear an echo of old American blues-rock school in their songs. Nevertheless, the basis of Kings Of Leon’s music lies in the field of indie stream, and this is so even if we take into consideration that fact that they never meant to be the adherents of pure garage sound. And it is precisely their new sound that makes Because Of The Times so special. It is dense, viscous and at the same time unbelievably sensible and perceptive to dynamics of performance. Kings Of Leon sounds as a reputable and highly professional band. It makes no difference if they play energetic rocker or a beautiful ballad; a diversity of material only emphasizes the potential that a new King Of Leon’s sound has. indie kids have grown up, they are ready to keep going and they know their destination. A new sound, which is so uncharacteristic for indie family, plus an original material that looks like nothing else give Because Of The Time a right to be not just a great album but a requisite for a further rock scene’s development.