If it weren’t for the distinctive Tennessee drawl in Caleb’s middle register, one would be forgiven for thinking that these 13 songs came from an entirely different band. The hard sonic pivot on O my beloved » immediately calls to mind similar clever changes that Kings of Leon’s presumed peers have undergone over the course of the 2020s. Mumford & Sons is surprisingly enjoyable and Dessner-ified Prize fighter from earlier this year comes to mind, as does The Killers’ energizing turn toward the war on drug-isms during 2020’s big-screen Americana journey. Implode the Mirage.
But the most curious memory triggered by O my belovedThe often sparse, acoustic tracks are those of Kings of Leon themselves, particularly the lovely “Talihina Sky”, the closing track and sole outlier from the otherwise shitty 2003 album. Youth and young manhood. The group’s recent collaborations with emo-country superstar Zach Bryan have certainly pushed them further in this new direction; the moonlit “Pretty Thing” recalls Bryan’s most intimate work, while Caleb’s vocals are positively buttery on “Feel the Love,” accented by just the right amount of six-string squiggles provided by cousin Matthew.
The porch and (current generation independent profanity alert) Hovvdy-ish vibes are indeed high throughout O my belovedThe chassis is romantic and laid back, but the Kings of Leon are still prone to occasionally lashing out, for better or worse. “Make It Count” takes the form of a slowly unfolding barn burner while maintaining a small-scale charm, and “Count It Down” has an alt-country edge that would fit well with the pack-a-day sonic trend dominating current indie rock. But the laborious “Warm Company” feels like a dirge compared to its surroundings; the peaky, “Use Somebody”-esque chorus of “Blue Jeans and Diamonds” undercuts its own orchestral tenderness via the specter of Kings of Leon’s late-2000s sound.
Old habits can die hard, but the temptation to give the Followills a little grace while O my belovedThe lower points remain strong. Despite the relative quality of their output over the past decade and a half, they have remained a hugely successful band amid the ebbs and flows of modern rock; If they chose to stay the course, few would hesitate. Instead, Kings of Leon is revitalized with a new, rich maturity on O my belovedand for the first time in forever, they have become an entity to be ignored at your peril.
Gn entert
