Kings of Leon

Only By The Night

Release Date: September 23, 2008
Label: RCA
Table of Contents

Abstract

At this point, it seems like Kings of Leon might just want to only release new albums in Europe, where the Followill boys are much more popular. But alas, the group long pegged as the "Southern Strokes" continues to fight the good fight of trying to win more recognition in its home country, like a gold medalist archer, even if American audiences haven't much cared for Kings of Leon lately. Or the Strokes, for that matter. What better way to try to grab some attention than by sexing things up a bit? That could be the reasoning behind the first single off Only by the Night, the band's fourth album, being the provocatively titled "Sex on Fire." Sounds like a Red Hot Chili Peppers tune, but don't think that Kings of Leon has gone all funky. The band's sound is still rooted in bloozy classic rock.

***

Band: http://www.kingsofleon.com

Label: http://www.rcarecords.com

Audio: http://www.myspace.com/kingsofleon 

 

~ John Zeiss

Review

By
Travis Woods
Prefix Rating 4.5
Average Rating 2.8
Your Rating
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This is the album in which the hirsute Kings of Leon finally loan out their sound to an Editors-ready arena crowd. Throw an audience track in the background and Only by the Night could be their Rattle and Hum. 

 

Essentially a funhouse mirror of 2007's far superior Because of the Times, Only by the Night stumbles under the weight of its ambitions by lacking the songs necessary to support them. With the exception of “Use Somebody” and the fuzzcrunched hipgrinder “Crawl,” the band’s desire for forward momentum has superceded their evolution. 

 

This is the album that’s supposed to be the aural epilogue released after spending ten years at the top of the heap, not the prologue that slips out just before the band was about to get there.

- September 29, 2008

Track list

Disc 1
1 Closer
2 Crawl
3 Sex On Fire
4 Use Somebody
5 Manhattan
6 Revelry
7 17
8 Notion
9 I Want You
10 Be Somebody
11 Cold Desert
Stumble It!
Kings of Leon »
Artist Page

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Who rated this album?

FMH
0.5
powers
0.5
andross
3.0
bennyblanko
9.0

19 Responses

September 23, 2008 at 4:54 p.m.

OMG - I cannot wait to make out to this album. I love these lads. Sex on Fire is an instant classic and 17 isn't three bad either ;-) Keep up the good work. You have to see these live, they are on fire from the first note to when the curtain closes
September 24, 2008 at 1:06 a.m.

check out 4 tracks from Kings of Leon's newest album "only by the night"
http://www.iheartmusic.com/cc-common/mfeatures/kingsofleonOD
September 24, 2008 at 8:56 a.m.

this album is pretty bad. what happened to them? 1st two records were awesome! very disapointed with this one.
September 24, 2008 at 12:20 p.m.

If you're under the impression that they only had 2 albums out before this then you're not a real fan.

Also, the album kicks ass. It's one of the best this year.
September 24, 2008 at 12:49 p.m.
3.0 out of 10

No way, this one blowz
September 24, 2008 at 3:29 p.m.

The first time I listened to this album, like the first time I listened to Because of the Times, I liked it immensely less than their first two, but, also like Because of the Times, the more times I listen to it, the deeper I can hear into each of the tracks and the better it gets. I'm undecided as of yet as to whether OBTN is better than BOTT, but it's definitely worthy of Kings of Leon and definitely one of my favorite albums of 2008.
September 25, 2008 at 8:54 p.m.

this album is great... its raw, exspansive, just real music, not the overproduced, overdubbed crap that everyone else is making... I LOVE IT!!!
September 25, 2008 at 10:42 p.m.

Upon 1st listen I was a little disappointed.. After half a dozen listens Im f***ing loving it. A brilliant band evolving brilliantly.

10 thumbs up
September 29, 2008 at 2:57 p.m.

Dude has 10 thumbs?
How do you jerk off like that?!
October 1, 2008 at 9:50 a.m.

Quite simply this album ROCKS !!!!!
October 6, 2008 at 1:18 p.m.

absolutely f***ing AMAZING!!!
October 7, 2008 at 2:37 p.m.
0.5 out of 10

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/63655/kings-of-leon-only-by-the-night/

It's completely average Nickelback wank. Thanks for seeing it the way it is, Prefix.
October 22, 2008 at 11:49 a.m.

i love them they are so fit can i marry them xxxxx
November 7, 2008 at 9:29 a.m.

Bull - the Album is a winner, hands down.
December 9, 2008 at 2:38 p.m.
0.5 out of 10

why can't we give 0s?
December 14, 2008 at 5:12 a.m.

I've never found an album where i LOVED all the songs.the passion in each song is indescribable! every time i listen to kings of Leon i get goose bumps!!!
December 22, 2008 at 8:39 p.m.

awesome album! best album this year
May 10, 2009 at 10 p.m.

LOVEEEE Kings of Leon it really makes me warm and happy!!!
September 15, 2009 at 11:33 p.m.

THERE COMING TO GEORGIA AND IM GOINGGGGGGG!!!!!

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