The Kings of Leon & other rockers

I was glad to find out that Kings of Leon (KOL) has a US hit with its new single Sex on Fire. Nice. Of course, the bigger news is that these guys from Massachusetts were recently honored by the Brits with the Best International Band Award while the new album Only by the Night was named Best International Album. But then the Kings have always been big in the UK, plus Europe, Australia, New Zealand, etc. So I found it more heartening to know that America is finally taking notice of one of the best bands today.

KOL is made up of three brothers and a cousin, all surnamed Followill. The extraordinary singer Caleb on lead vocals and rhythm guitars; Nathan on drums and back-up vocals; Jared on bass guitar, back-up vocals and synthesizer; and Matthew, the cousin on lead guitar and back-up vocals. They call themselves Kings of Leon because the father of the brothers and their grandfather are both named Leon.

Only by the Night comes on the heels of the monster seller Because of the Times from two years ago. The most noticeable thing about the CD is how big the band has grown. I do not mean that only in terms of stature and musicality. KOL guys harvest acclaim wherever they go. I also mean it in the size, the scope of the album. The Kings of today is a formidable arena rock band with smooth melodies, sleek arrangements and star confidence. Do not look for the raw edges of the early albums. The guys have learned how to make good music and they sound really great.

I hope local rockers give a listen and make the Kings also hot in the Philippines. They are young. They are growing. They have become commercial. They have released four albums, each CD better than the one before. The idea that they can create even better music in the future just blows the mind.

Stand outs are Sex on Fire, Manhattan, Closer and the most radio-friendly of them all, Use Somebody. But pick your favorites later, after you have enjoyed the whole package.

After KOL, you might want to check out The Fray by The Fray. This is the second album and also the second No. 1 seller from what seems to be America’s favorite young band these days. There is also a likelihood it might also give them again a Grammy nomination or two. Remember how the hits How to Save a Life and Over My Head got Save a Life an Album of the Year nomination a few years back? Maybe one will also go to The Fray in this time around. The buzz is already hot about the single You Found Me. This is the same song which is being used to promote the new season of the hit TV series, Lost.

The Fray is Isaac Slade on vocals and piano; Joe King on rhythm guitar and vocals; Dave Welsh on lead guitar; and Ben Wysocki on drums. Their music is piano-based rock with lots of soaring melodies. The style is very dramatic and considered very hip these days. Enough for Now, Where the Story Ends, Absolute along with You Found Me are the best examples of this sort of song in The Fray.

For soulful rock with a Celtic touch there is The Script by The Script. The band is Danny O’Donoghue on lead vocals and keyboards; Mark Sheehan on guitar and vocals; and Glen Power on drums. They come from Dublin, Ireland, which explains the Irish flavor. But that is just icing on the cake. The Script’s true strong point is the way they write songs and proof of this talent is all over the self-titled CD with which they made their multi-platinum debut late last year.

The guys know their way around songwriting. The melodies and the lyrics in the album blend and flow in a way that is more R&B than rock. Nothing jars. They even tell good stories. Some rockers might find the conventional structure of their songs somewhat old-fashioned but the clever plots and innovative arrangements keep their tunes rocking in a modern way. We Cry, The Man Who Can’t Be Moved, Where I Begin and Breakeven are the best of the lot.