Kings of Leon – Aha
Shake Heartbreak
by Zane Ewton
Second albums can be a tough proposition
for any band. The stakes rise, particularly when the debut album
received critical praise and strong sales. If this hurdle is not
high enough, Caleb Followill, lead singer of Kings of Leon, is quoted saying,
“We’ve all just grown so, so much and seen so many things.”
Growing up can be a problem. Maturity
can lead to stronger music or it can lead to middle-aged boredom.
Young, rowdy rock and roll bands can not afford to become mellow. Aha
Shake Heartbreak, the follow-up to Youth & Young Manhood
is a frustrating album. It is a smooth 30-something minutes of ringing
guitar, rock music. So smooth it passes you by without notice.
Frustrating, because you know it could be much better.
Initial listens propound on the feeling
that Kings of Leon is the southern rock Strokes. Simple guitar melodies
and beats give this comparison merit. But deeper listening brings
out the strengths of the band. Caleb’s vocals and lyrics are very
good. They help to give the band greater distinction.
Caleb’s first cousin Matthew has a guitar sound that hearkens back to Jimmy
Page on the Houses of the Holy track “The Song Remains the Same”.
While not a bad comparison, it doesn’t leave much room for innovation.
The first few songs on the album build
upon each other but the momentum levels off. Without the emotional
mountains and valleys, the album as a whole plays flatly. There are
great aspects of this band that just did not get a chance to fully develop
with a new album. Maybe they were playing it safe, but rock and roll
should never be safe.
“Slow Night, So Long’ is a quick introductory
song that employs all the King’s tools from the start. “King of the
Rodeo’ follows this same line, but Caleb’s vocals give the song a stronger
sense of urgency, bordering on a different language altogether.
“Taper Jean Girl” is the most memorable
track, but follows in line of the previous two. The roughest song
“Pistol of Fire” provides a glimpse of the greasy, driving rock and roll
that inspired the guys to start a band. It is followed by the bare
acoustic song “Milk” that zaps any excitement that band had built so far.
“Day Old Blues” is similar to “Milk” as a mellow track that is supposed
to show another side of the band but ultimately will get skipped.
These are followed by the rest of the album, all decent songs but nothing
unforgettable.
It’s hard to listen to an able that you
want to like. The buzz around the band sounds good but the proof
is in the pudding and if the pudding doesn’t grab you by the ears and shake
your head, then it isn’t the best pudding it can be.
Hopefully, the band will be able to squeeze
past the sophomore slump and move on to bigger and better things.
Which they seem extremely capable of doing.
CD Info
Kings
of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak
Label: RCA
Rating:
Tracks: Slow Night, So Long
King Of The Rodeo
Taper Jean Girl
Pistol Of Fire
Milk
Bucket, The
Soft
Razz
Day Old Blues
Four Kicks
Velvet Snow
Rememo
Posted by go:
best album i've heard in a long, long time. absolutely amazing.
Posted by latta:
incredible. everything about it.
Posted by tater salad:
one of my favorite albums to date. could be longer, but it's still kick-@$$
Posted by kk:
ya but hu is he? he is so cute lol
Posted by caleb:
zane ewton you are clearly a moron and i hate you
Posted by radiostar:
the cowboy suit guy is just an actor/dancer
Posted by onddee:
totally agree. I am a very sceptical listener. The review of the album on this site is ballshazam
Milk is like one of the best songs I have ever heard. dont have time to go into detail about why this review suxs so much but there other guy above just about hit the nail on the head.
stupid review if u ask me.
Listen to "king of the rodeo" and "milk" again. these songs are like revolutionary.
Posted by kk:
i ment suit*
Posted by kk:
you know in the video of kings of the rodeo who is the man in the white cowboy suir?
Posted by MATT:
Damn right JONNY, its me, it tis f***ing brilliant and for all those who dont like havent herd it or have probably herd it and dont like it or something around those lines, but honestly i think it is the album of the century and please do come to BELFAST.
Posted by Jonny:
this is the best albem of the centry. The rejects that dont agree are the people who havent even listened to it.Everyone who i no who has listened to it love the albem and love kings of leon i cant wait to her a new albem from them and i hope they play BELFAST
Posted by J-lew:
i agree with everyone else pretty much. this album is in most ways greater than youth and young manhood. at first listen i didn't feel as the follow up album was as good mainly because it is a slightly differnt style than their first, and it was that specific style that i liked so much. but the more i listen the more i like it. As far as i am concerned this is the best release this year so far. the simplistic seemingly sound, perfectly brings the mood and feel across that i belive they were going for. i can listen to if over and over again and it is as enjoyable each time. 5 stars
Posted by Soop:
Get ready America because Kings of Leon are about to explode on to the national music scene. This album is reminiscent of old school U2 with thumping drum beats and a bass line to keep things groovy. Caleb's vocals is one of the more original sounds to come along in YEARS. The WHOLE band has originality. The Bucket will be the opening song to the soundtrack of the summer of 2005. This CD is a MUST.
Posted by new & unimpressed:
i just picked up this disk and have to wonder.... why the hell they copy protected it.. it sucks.
Posted by muisc:
I like em. On a couple tracks his voice sounds like Bon Scotts. But on others he doesnt at all. I think its a pretty good CD
Posted by rock~n~roll queen:
I love it! 5 stars.
Posted by Hans-Marc Olsen:
Kings of Leon are EVIL, it's the music of SATAN, made to collect your souls and to turn you into brainless slaves of hell. If you like Kings of Leon, you will lose your soul to be damned for eternal torment in hell.Demons and devils will feast on your soul for all eternity. So stop listening to this evil music now to save your soul. Or the holy inquisition will come for you and burn your flesh to save your soul, because the devil must not collect more souls or nobody can prevent Armageddon. Kings of Leon are evil, listening to Kings of Leon is BLASPHEMY , only heretics and witches like Kings of Leon. And heretics and witches shall BURN ! Kings of Leon is the music of SATAN, made in HELL'S KITCHEN!
Posted by me again (the truth):
sorry if i got a bit carried away there... but it is a fantastic album, one not to go unnoticed....
Posted by The truth:
WHAT ARE YOU ALL ON??!!! this is the best Kings of Leon album ever. it presents a new kind of music with simple structures but with a rich and texturised coating. Milk has to be one of the best songs on the album. The heart beat bass line is played to perfection, just adding that beat to the gentle plucking accompanied by a soul-moving voice. If it's peaks and valleys you want, there is no better. The move straight from the reflective "milk" to the bum-wigglin' "the Bucket", then straight through "soft" to the contrasting off-beat of "razz". It doesn't end there, the next song " day old blues" displays music at its finest and rawest. No need for over-drive to screech and screaam. This album shows more musicianship and understnading of how "it" should sound than many many other bands today. Even if you don't like the singers voice or you find the music too "wild" or you can't do with listening to "this rubbish modern music", strip away your preconcieved ideas and just see the musicality of all of these songs. **Bachs in the making** i'd give this album 6 out of 5, even if you don't like rock how can you avoid this fantastic rhythm ride!??
Posted by MrTibbs:
I think the author of this review desires the Kings to just go out and do a 20 minute guitar solo. The complaint is leveled that Milk 'kills momentum' then a couple paragraphs later complains that there are no 'emotional peaks and valleys'
This album doesnt have the immediate appeal of 'Youth and Young Manhood' but after listening to this album several time through, then going back an listening to 'YaYM' shows me that this is in every way a more complete album. 4 stars out of 5
Posted by yakineko22:
I think it's a fantastic album. True, a little slower than the last, but it has a great sound throughout. 4 stars!
