Formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999 by brothers Nathan, Jared, and Caleb Followill and later after signing to RCA Records in 2002 their cousin Matthew Followill after “kidnapping” him from Mississippi. The Kings of Leon (named after their grandfather Leon Followill) began to gain recognition for their blend of southern rock and blues into their garage rock, leading to them being referred to as “the southern Strokes”. Their aforementioned debut album Youth and Young Manhood showcased the band’s distinctive sound which helped establish them as a rising force in the alternative rock scene. As their sound evolved their fourth album Only by the Night thrusted them into international fame with singles like Sex on Fire and the Grammy award winning Use Somebody. Since then they’ve released multiple albums and have remained a prominent presence in the rock scene. With innovative bands like this it’s always a little disappointing but feels almost inevitable when they start to go downhill with their newer albums, and this can be clearly seen with their newest release Can We Please Have Fun.
Opening with Ballerina Radio, which is a drab and dreary tale which is heavily soaked in an ambiance of synths. Following, is Rainbow Ball a song that seems like a cacophony of instrumentation with the drums being the only constant throughout it’s runtime. Next, is Nowhere to Run, and though it seems to tackle some sort of existential angst; it seems to be one of the more danceable tracks and music that is reminiscent of MGMT. Moving on to Mustang which lyrically is a bit cheesy but is a fun as well as upbeat song about the contrast of spontaneity and domesticity (as Caleb sings: “are you a mustang or a kitty”). Ensuing Mustang is Actual Daydream, an alternative country song which seems like a melding of Wilco’s lyrics and KONGOS instrumentation. Split Screen comes after which originally seems like it’s building to a big chorus or outro but then the payoff doesn’t ever really arrive and the listener seems to be left high and dry. Flipping onto the B-side we start with Don’t Stop The Bleeding which produces a feeling of lazing dreariness with a drum machine as well as slow and shimmery arpeggiating guitar. Kicking things back up a notch with Nothing To Do featuring a snarling guitar (courtesy of Matthew Followill) and a funky bass line within the bridge. M Television however seemed to again have a little too much going on, and was a little too similar to another one of their songs, The Bandit. Unfortunately keeping with the ennui is Hesitation Gen, this song feels like an unfinished demo, unfortunate very. Second to last we have Ease Me On which gives off almost Tennessean Alex Turner vibes from the guitar riffs. And rounding out the album is Seen which easily catches the listeners attention and ends the album on an ethereal note as the song almost seems longer than it actually is upon first listen.
This album is complicated; it’s unfortunate because when the songs are enjoyable they’re super fun. But even on the highlights of the album the songs feel almost incomplete. It’s almost like putting lipstick on a pig, or in this album’s case, polishing a white wall. And so while technically proficient Can We Please Have Fun seems to lack creativity and feel rather monotonous when listened to; something that is not expected when playing Kings of Leon as they have been praised for their innovation in indie rock. The lyrics themselves, while not appalling, are far from praise, and with the exception of Don’t Stop The Bleeding and maybe Actual Daydream are nearly indistinguishable from the other tracks on the album. Overall the album name seems to be most telling as Can We Please Have Fun is a little too on the nose as well as seeming like a plea to its listeners begging them to enjoy it as much as their previous release. A request that with the album given to them, seems nearly impossible.
