Kings Of Leon - 'Aha Shake Heartbreak' (RCA)
4/5
By: Samantha Hall
When we conjure churlish stereotypes of crazy southern kids in deep fried Kentucky, America, we picture rather retarded, oversized men wrestling pigs. Maybe it's pure ignorance, or maybe there is some truth is this rather disturbing yet strangely appealing image. When our hairy lads first overrun our stereos, music publications were rife with tales of the deep south Strokes; of sexist, old-fashioned boys with a rather hillbilly attachment and approach to making good, ole rock n' roll.
Now, the Kings Of Leon are all grown-up. Comparatively so, at least. The funky, rat-a-tat-tat of yore has been honed to a sexier, more mature rattle.
Well, if you overlook the odd, rather shameless lyric here and there, that is. Of note - the poetic lines of 'Soft': 'I'd pop myself in your body/I'd come all over your party/But I'm soft.'
Then, this generally is a far more worthy and, indeed, enjoyable record to their debut. No-one trick pony here, sir, and certainly most expected their second album to be a regurgitation of their first. After such mass success of 'Youth & Young Manhood'; it'd be difficult not to stray from the award-winning mould. But dynamite songs represented through the rollicking tenure of 'The Bucket' and dirt-driven 'King of The Rodeo' outrun 'Molly's Chambers' and 'Red Morning Light' by miles.
And 'Aha Shake Heartbreak' is a storytelling album; about boys who found their fortune and became men - a musical tale of drugs, brazen ladies and how the 'old life' used to be, all wrapped up in a sun-kissed, wind-blown, rhythmically outstanding overture. The old grit, the old, long chew - but a far deeper, succulent aftertaste.
Artists in this article: Kings Of Leon
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