Vibe: Come Around Sundown takes Kings of Leon back to their roots.  With Southern rock that is, but not in their original edgy sound as seen on their first three albums.  Just as Kings of Leon continue to follow the five syllable album title syntax on Come Around Sundown as they with all of their studio albums, they stuck with what made them successful.  It's full of catchy, twangy pop rock reminiscent of the last album Only by the Night but not as hardcore as Aha Shake Heartbreak.

Best Moments: The opening track “The End” is the strongest track on the record, instantly hooking the listener.  Songs like “Mary” and “Back Down South” give the album a more soulful, Southern feel of the Tennessee natives and are also two of the best on the album.  The closing song "Pickup Truck" is the perfect way to conclude the record, uniting it to the rest with its Southern theme.

Low moments: Although each track on the album is strong, the sound is heavily repetitive, leaving it hard to differentiate between tracks at times, such as in “The Immortals” and “No Money.”  The release of “Radioactive” as the first single is also a strange choice—there are far better tracks.   Although all of the songs are consistently above par, the one thing that Come Around Sundown lacks is a power song like “Use Somebody” that stands out from the rest.

Verdict: Come Around Sundown takes the pop sound that made them popular on Only by the Night to the next level. The Followill family delivers a collection of 13 well-crafted, classic tunes housing stellar vocals and crafty production.  It will hook their followers and annoy those who lost them after the 300th time hearing “Use Somebody.” 

Image courtesy of RCA

Katherine Epstein (@citadelnow) for Citadel Digital © 2010