Upon releasing their ninth studio album, Can We Please Have Fun, earlier this year, Kings of Leon embarked on a world tour that kicked off on Aug. 14 and will be stopping in Cincinnati mid-September. The band of brothers, including Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill – along with their cousin, Matthew Followill – have been together since the release of their debut album Youth & Young Manhood in 2003. Twenty years later, the band’s evolution continues in a fresh way with Can We Please Have Fun
While the Grammy Award-winning southern rock band is known for their hard-hitting hits including “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody,” the band took a different approach with this album. Opting for more of an indie rock energy and overall softer style throughout the 12 tracks on the album, this was the band’s first release with Capitol Records instead of their original label, RCA Records. The album was also produced by Kid Harpoon, known for his work with artists like Harry Styles and Florence & The Machine.
Having already been established as a band that easily produced radio hits and songs to sing along to throughout their career, Kings of Leon provides this same energy in an alternative way through singles like “Nowhere to Run” and “Mustang” shining through as some of the top tunes on their most recent album. Through the album’s enjoyable new influences combined with an homage to their roots as a rock band, Kings of Leon has made it abundantly clear that they always know how to have fun.
Kings of Leon play the Andrew J Brady Music Center at 8 p.m. on Sept. 14. More info: bradymusiccenter.com.
This story is featured in CityBeat's Sept. 4 print edition.
