Review: Kings Of Leon charm with introspective new album When You See Yourself

: by Joe Sharratt; in Reviews; on 05 March 2021

When the Followills (brother Caleb, Nathan, and Jared and their cousin Matthew) burst onto the scene in the early 2000s, few could have predicted that two decades on they’d become the sort of global super band that sell out arenas in minutes and can stake a legitimate claim to the title of biggest act in the world. But here we are in 2021, and Kings Of Leon are basically there.

It’s not that those early days didn’t show immense promise. Quite the opposite in fact: when their debut album Youth & Young Manhood landed in 2003, it was the sort of exciting album that makes you sit up and take notice. Likewise, the follow up Aha Shake Heartbreak that came just a year later built on their thrilling first record. Songs like Molly’s Chambers and The Bucket were up there with the defining indie hits of the time.

No, the oddity with the Kings Of Leon’s transition into rock and roll behemoth is that part of the charm of those early hits was the chaotic, hazy, almost freeform quality that seemed the polar opposite to the sort of slick, polished affair that thrives at the top of the commercial music world. But as the years passed, and albums like Only By The Night, Come Around Sundown, and Mechanical Bull appeared, their new career trajectory became obvious.

That’s not to say any of those are bad albums. They’re not at all, and they’ve been hugely successful and spawned some of the band’s biggest hits (Sex On Fire and Use Somebody in particular) but with each there’s a sense that the Followills were growing up, adjusting to their increasing fame, and taking their foot of the gas, settling further and further into their established blueprint with each new release. Again, that’s no criticism, it’s understandable, natural even. But it's precisely because of this that their new and eighth studio album When You See Yourself is so instantly charming.

Let’s be clear though, it’s no return to the wild days of their early years. Instead, it’s a refreshingly varied, confident but understated, and genuinely expressive record. Opening track When You See Yourself, Are You Far Away sets the tone, it’s playful off kilter bass and guitar riff threatening to explode into a fist-pumping floor filler, but actually restraining itself, like they decided they could write Sex On Fire part two if they wanted to, but actually didn’t fancy it thanks very much.

And, while there’s plenty of fans who are clamoring for them to do exactly that, it’s not where When You See Yourself goes. Lead single The Bandit raises the tempo slightly with another triumphant riff and bass line, while Stormy Weather is a hazy, juddering joy and Golden Restless Age makes superb use of synths. But there’s as much quiet contemplation as there is rock and roll, with Claire & Eddie a particularly sweet affair. OK, there’s moments where they relapse into pleasant enough star-gazing stadium rock, Time In Disguise being a good example, but for the most part this is a tight collection.

Curiously, the band have collaborated with a tech company called Yellowheart to offer When You See Yourself as a non-fungible token, or NFT. If you have no idea what that is, don’t worry, you’re not alone. In essence it’s a form of digital asset similar to Bitcoin. $50 gets you a sort of deluxe digital package including the album and other digital products, as well as a vinyl. More interestingly though, the band also plan to auction off six NFTs that will seemingly function as lifetime passes for the band’s future shows.

It’s a bold move at a time when there are no shows to play. But it’s a telling move from a band who now feel at home on those stages. We You See Yourself lets you get reacquainted with Kings Of Leon as a sort of middle-aged version of themselves happily and joyously revisiting their early days and happy memories. The irony is that, for one of the biggest touring bands in the world, it’s probably only been possible that they could make this sort of record precisely because there has been no touring.

When You See Yourself tracklist: