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Video | Paramore - "Use Somebody"

The best hair in rock and roll, and certainly one of the best young vocalists, has followed the lead of Bat for Lashes and covered Kings of Leon's surprisingly Billboard-dominating "Use Somebody" for a BBC session. My two favorite mainstream acts combine forces. Could this mean future KoL tour opener status for Hayley and her band?

[Via Idolator]

Kings of Leon in Oddly Timed Press Frenzy as Ancient Single Climbs Charts

For major-label bands, working with the press is a science. It's incredibly organized and for years has been dictated by albums and their little workhorses, singles. The calendar is pretty standard: go on tour to promote soon-to-be-released album, go on television in weeks surrounding album release. Release single, promote single. Go on tour again. Release second single, promote second single. Ad infinitum until you find yourself back in the studio. But KoL almost didn't: drummer Nathan Followill, who counts Thom Yorke among his fans, told the BBC last fall:

"Basically we got to the point where we realised that we can be known as a band that hit it hard for three records and disappeared, or be a band that was smart enough to realise that not very many bands get to make four records, so let's make the most of this."

After that, things happened a little differently, defying the press calendar. Only By The Night, their fourth studio album, came out in September. The first single, "Sex On Fire," was promoted accordingly. The album stayed on the charts for many weeks, but its position was modest, considering that in the U.K., the album sold more copies in 2008 than any other release save for Coldplay's Viva La Vida: 220,000 in its first week. "Sex On Fire" was the country's top single as well, outselling the second-place contender (Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl") by 50%, according to this BBC article.

Then what happened? In the winter and in the midst of more touring, the band released "Use Somebody," their second single. But in the U.K., the single started as a digital hit a few days after the album was released - in September, recall. Throughout the fall it climbed in the ranks. By December, it was #2 on the singles chart and remained there for another 13 (nonconsecutive) weeks, according to the song's Wikipedia entry.

More than half a year later, Only By The Night is listed as a "sales gainer" at #8 on the Billboard 200. It reached platinum status for the first time the week of July 22. "Use Somebody" first became a hot digital track on the U.S. chart, and is now listed as a "digital gainer" on the Billboard Hot 100; it sits at #5. The album and single's stats on the digital, genre and European charts are equally or more impressive than the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 stats.

Slow clap. The boys are on a major label, but their fans have taken control, effectively saying: "You can't tell us what to like and when." It's no surprise that the seed of this success was planted online.

Top 20 Albums of 2008

 

Kings of Leon Nominated for Big Grammy

I like these odds.

 

Click the pic to see all the Grammy nominees, if you haven't already, which isn't likely.

Brand Loyalty

I like the new Kings Of Leon album, which you may have guessed from the size of the above picture of Caleb Followill (I am happy to promote his sagaciously executed hair cut). There's a bit of John Butler in this album; a bit of GnR, naturally; and a bit of Bruce. There's also some MMJ. There's no U2 in sight. I guess they actually read the Pitchfork review of Because of The Times, which I think was predictably predictable because it had such a bland title. Anyhow, I wonder still whether I would like this album if I didn't sorta already like the previous ones, especially random little song-gems like "Arizona," which was actually on BOTT. But is there a double standard at work? What if Only By The Night was their first album? Would I even bother? Probably not. Chew on that.

Kings Of Leon - "17"

Two Peas in a Pod

Courtesy of my alma mater, Stylus Magazine, two slices on the Kings of Leon, whom I knew nothing about until a few weeks ago. A couple of months ago my editor at Sty asked if I was familiar with their older stuff because he needed someone to review Because of the Times. I think my response after some albeit fleeting 30-second iTunes samples was, Man, this is shite. But I like the new album. I don't know anyone in my snooty circle who does, though (cheers, E.V.) And these two pieces, by Kevin J. Elliott and Mark Edwards, are hilarious and well done. Best bits bolded for your convenience.

"Because of the Times validates the theory that the Kings of Leon are merely the Eagles in wolf’s clothing (or the Strokes in overalls), being that the album’s collection of tales, focusing solely on hard-living and harder women, are but hokey pulp fictions disguised with mellowed sincerity, played out on mythical dirt roads and overgrown farmhouses. Believing in the band’s evolution is even more a chore when singer Caleb Followill continues his ongoing quest to murder the English language with obfuscating bouts of hayseed diction. There are countless examples of improper pronouns, unnecessary “ain’t”’s and “a running”’s, and obligatory nods to the “lord” or his “soul” tacked onto every other line." (the rest)

"From the first moment of opener, “Slow Night, So Long” this album [2005's Aha Shake Heartbreak] grabs you by the ears and drags you through the dirt. Guitars fizz, barns shake, rattlesnakes hiss, preachers thump their Bibles. Well, those are the images this Englishman sees when he listens to these good ole boys, anyway. That and Daisy Duke being ‘romanced’ on the backseat of the General Lee. Because when I said they drag you through the dirt, I meant it literally. This album is filthy. From the picture on the sleeve onwards, and inwards, the Followills sound like they’ve discovered the pleasures of the flesh and want to tell everyone all about it, not caring how sordid or sleazy their stories of life in a rock band sound. As such, that opening track tells of a girl who’s just “seventeen, but I done went and plum forgot it…so far so good, she’s absolutely wasted.” (the rest).

I like this band. Leave me alone!

even though I hate telephones

The lead singer needs serious hair help.