Only By The Night

This album is really heavy soft rock. Perfect for the dentist office. None of the songs have definition and all sort of just bleed into each other. Honestly this sounded like one song with breaks throughout to me. It's not really bad or anything. Just nothing ear cathing.

Ummmm wtf is that song 17

I can’t decide which of these reviews to publish, so I’m leaving it up to you, faithful reader, to decide which of these you think is the most fitting. Consider it a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style review: A.) Alt-Rock for people who find My Morning Jacket “too aggressive”. B.) Move over Fleetwood Mac, the middle of the road has a new King. C.)_STOP_CALLING_MAJOR_LABEL_BANDS_INDIE_ROCK_

I heard it

When it came out I would have given it 1 I hated it so much. Now that time has passed where I'm not forced to listen to it I can concede that at least the songwriting is quite good. It came at the end of and to me represents a full stop to the mid 00's era of bland mainstream indie bands. Now leave me alone and don't make me listen to it again. 2+/5

Went into this with no expectations. Emerged with no opinions. The Lynyrd Skynyrd Coldplay variant? About as much effort as I can muster

This transports me back to the embrace of the passenger seat in my friend D’s old BMW, his decisive right foot, and the enveloping thump of his speakers drowning out the desperate sounds from the car’s trunk as we cut through the North Circular. Salad days, I can still smell the arterial smog. Returning to this record and its forgettable title, I realise this period was marked by rock bands being integrated by producers into a glossy, trip hop-style synthetic aesthetic that favoured few. The famous, silly fiery sex song, the immediately succeeding Use Somebody and a handful of sections aside, this record does not move me - the tunes are not strong enough to hold up the poppy production, which mutes the pleasures the band's rock might otherwise have brought. Had I the time and inclination to listen to music I don't like, I could plot a line from NIN to KoL. I have not heard a record that happily sits in the midpoint of glorious synth and hairy rock. The drums are upfront and fall like a big dead fish thrown onto a slab. Guitar feedback can sound savage or, more rarely, haunting, even bittersweet; here it’s a precision-engineered component inserted with the badge “here’s rock”. A rock song sung by a man that begins with "Oh, she's only seventeen" needs to follow up with deft writing to avoid sounding creepy, which doesn't happen here. Perhaps I just miss that old BMW's sound-system, now distant.

This was on REPEAT in the late 00s, but it really is kind of bland. The opening 4 tracks are stellar, but it quickly turns quite uninspired. Only exception being the vocals and somewhat inventive drums/percussion work by two of the Followills.

The opening track, Closer, is very good. I honestly hate Sex on Fire. It just gives me the impression of a bad STD. Blech. The other single I knew, Use Somebody, was ok. Fun to sing along with. 17 fell flat - can grown men stop singing about teenage girls? The rest of the album was bland, generic and sounded a lot of the same. If only the album had remained as strong as its opening. This is a 2 for me.

Yoo this is on here? Instant 5 "Use Somebody" has such a special place in my heart.

In one ear and straight out the other, yawn.

A classic of the early-2000s indie scene

no skips

This is a great album by a talented group. I enjoy pretty much all of Kings of Leon music.

Love this album.

Rock's last classic. A masterpiece

One of the last if not the last big crossover rock album hit. Famous singles, widely accessible compared ti previous works, strong production. This nailed it with this one.

Love, love, love this album! Brought back childhood memories ❤️

Modern classic

The stuff guilty pleasures are made of, but if it's a pleasure, what's there to complain about?

The first two songs weren't bad and I thought this would be a big step up from Aha Shake Heartbreak (what a terrible album name), but then it hit the two awful singles and it never really recovered.

Not the worst album I got here, but seriously, a 3rd Kings of Leon album here is way too much, don’t you think? I still can't stand the singer's voice, for a start.

I am trying to be kind and generous but this is really obnoxious. I did NOT have to listen to this before dying.

a album for eternity

For me this is the last great album they made

Biased, because this is already one of my favorite albums ever. The southern edge in the rock, the cool factor throughout. Great stuff

Yes

Ah Kings of Leon. This album took over the radio when I was in high school, primarily Sex on Fire amd Use Somebody. It's seriously hard to think of a place where these songs weren't playing at the time. I've listened to the rest of the album maybe once before this return and I got to say, it's a nostalgic trip and I really enjoyed the sound that this group brings. My new favorite from here is Revelry but I liked Closer too. It's a very clean and polished alt rock sound that isn't overly synthy like today's alt rock.

I'm just going to say it. This album fucks. Am I right?! 5/5

I love the singer's very soulful voice, full of fieriness, sometimes reverence, sometimes endearing and compassionate. A good mix of some easy riffs with soft vocals and some hard hitting cacaphonies of emotion. A truly remarkable balance across the album as well. I always felt they were kind of one-hit wonders with sex on fire, but they really earned a spot in my heart with this album.

I was not too knowledgeable about this project prior to this listen. I was previously aware of the critical acclaim of this album. I was also aware of their songs Use Somebody and Sex on Fire, both fantastic songs. Overall, I throughly enjoyed this project, however, a lot of it sounded a bit repetitive but I think it worked. The only lowlight was 17, which while isn't a completely awful song like most people on this would have you think, it's pretty bad.

5- klasyk

Goed veel klappers

Such a time and place album of theirs. Not their best but it is crazy how their lead singer cut his hair shorter for this album and everyone was like when did this guy get hot? And then they became the biggest band in the world

I hated 'Sex on Fire' when it came out. A truly overblown anthem of the sort I'm not predisposed to appreciate. So I ignored this album for a long time.A year or so later, while I was watching an episode of Casualty, they played an awesome song, which I Shazzamed, and it was 'Closer'. That was the turning point for me, which overcame my bias and led me to begrudging respect for this band. I've listened to this a few times since, and I'd say the album tracks are better than the singles, probably due to the fact they are less familiar to my brain. 'Crawl' with it's fuzz bass is immense and the last song evoked a feeling of 'Faith' by the Cure for some reason (This lot are not in the same league) which is always a good thing. Even with SOF it's getting a 5 star rating.

Been a favorite since long before, sentimental

Very good album. I like it.

Hits me right in my millennial feels. Hard for me not to love this album as it was playing everywhere during a fun time in my life, all of these songs take me back to riding around on dirt roads smoking weed and trying to get my older brother to buy us beer. Hard to looked beyond that and give an honest review of the quality of music. So, five star based solely on nostalgia.

#316. This album is way better than it has any right to be. I couldn't tell you why it's so good, because in reality no part of it is particularly any better than any thing else out there, but it somehow manages to be greater than the sum of its parts. All of the rest of their albums are more or less exactly what you'd expect from them, but somehow this one manages to be something more. 5/5: fantastic.

I’m usually quite selective with the rating feature on this website and have only given a few five stars. This means that I usually know an album really well before rating it so highly. I’ve heard of kings of Leon before but I’ve never enjoyed an album so much on a first listen. I genuinely had to stop what I was doing as not to miss a second of it. Amazing.

I noted that there are three Kings of Leon albums that once were on the 1001 list but none are now. This one and Youth and Young Manhood I found very good… and think maybe one of those could remain. I guess of those two this one was a little bit better. It was the album where I became aware of this band so maybe that’s part of it.

This just is a great album, from the first to the last track.

Standout

Great album

amazing album. liked every song, but one. its edgy, melodic and has a sexiness to it.

One of the major releases of the late 00’s. The Followills really nailed what everybody seemed to long for at exactly the right time. Caleb’s vocals are extremely emotional and powerful, Jared’s bass playing is playful and Nathan’s drumming is always a breath of fresh air. There’s a chance this might be dated - I might still be too much in love to notice it. And when you close an album on “Cold Desert” (a go-to late night favorite of mine) I have nothing bad to say.

Sex on Fire suffers from the Somebody I Used to Know curse of being a great song that got overplayed until bloody and unrecognisable. This is a massive album.

Great

This one had me singing in Revelry.

loved!

I’m at a 4.5 that I’m gonna begrudgingly bump up to a 5, because I think it’s not a 4, but it just doesn’t feel like a 5. Make no mistake; I think this album’s fucking great. This is incredibly cool to me – I only knew Use Somebody, which I still think is an all-timer of a track, but I’ve never really heard any of the other songs surrounding it, and up until Track 6, everything was blazing hot, all cylinders firing, all engines go, felt like one of the easiest 5s I might give. And yet, of those final 5 tracks, I was only really digging the last 2; something about Tracks 7 through 9 sounded really good, but they never really put the full package together in the same way that the first 6 tracks did. Who knows? I might just be overreacting to an underwhelming finish; those first 6 tracks hit like crack, man. Absolute bliss for me. Even those last 5 tracks are still good listens; the soundscape never lets up a single time during this album, and you can’t say that Caleb Followill can’t sing his ass off, because he was belting like a motherfucker on this. I’m sure someone will get more enjoyment out of Notion or I Want You than I did (17 is an actively mediocre track), and they don’t take away from the rest of the album at all. It’s a great listen, and it deserves to be on the list; kind of conflicted about bumping it up to a 5, but I really do think it's just too good to only give it a 4.

I have to say I sighed when I got another Kings of Leon album. But boy was I wrong. I loved it, and I loved the music the infinity playlist offered up afterwards.

Awesome album

Proper good 00s throwback. Sex on Fire was all the rage on the airwaves at the time (ca. 2007-08 I think) but this album has some other great tracks too

Only by the Night - Kings of Leon This is one of the best rock albums of 2008. So many hits off of this album, but some of the deep cuts are even better. I hope their onstage and offstage antics have gotten better. We don't need "The American Oasis" band. I think my favorite song on this album is "Manhattan." Caleb Followil has such an aching in his voice as he sings, "I said who are you? Don't matter who you are. So we dance all night and dance all day. I say." and this minimalistic guitar comes in and it's the most beautiful transition and melody. So much emotion in this song, from the vocals to the melodic guitar. This album was right before their fame took off and they got distracted. It's a tight rock album that exudes sex and shows just how good this band is. 5/5

I forgot how much I enjoyed this album.

Loved this album when it came out, and it still holds up for me today. Strong indie rock from start to finish. No dips. Another surprise 5 for me.

This album rips

I didn't want to leave this challenge. It brought back wonderful memories of living in Nashville & the excitement there was knowing this was a local band making it big. There was so much buzz in the air & a bunch of us knew or had seen Kings of Leon play before this album. Electric times. Musically, this is fantastic rock album. If someone were to ask me what the 2000s sounded like, I'd play this. Sex on Fire immediately followed by Use Somebody is a strike to the senses. Love this album & will revist it often. 4.5 stars

Ça me désole mais je suis obligé de mettre 5

Oh man this album is great. Closer just grabs you straight away and by the time Manhattan kicks in you wonder do I like this particular song or am I having a dopamine rush. Certainly after my second listen I was keen to listen again. Faves from today are Crawl, Sex on Fire, Use Somebody, and Notion but there's plenty more in second place. That's 2 out of 2 5-Star records from KoL for me!

Crear un ambiente muy envolvente. Siento que tendría que haber conocido este disco mucho antes. El cantante usa un quiebre vocal muy bien hecho y lo hace propio de su estilo. Es como si estuviera por desafinar en cada momento, pero lo sabe utilizar muy bien. Album super recomendado!!!

apsolutni klasik

Good album!

My favourite album when I was 15. Know every song. Best song is Manhattan or Be Somebody.

God I fucking LOVE this album. Restored my faith in rock when it was released, after a few years in the swirly whirly jazz world. Hearing Use Somebody one night blew me away, and reminded me of Joshua Tree-era U2 without all the pompous grandiosity affiliated with Bono and Co. And this glorious album does not sound dated at all. A masterpiece.

Incredible! One of the best! First half of the album is much better than the second one, but this album definitely needs to be in the list

I know. I'm surprised, too. I thought this album was only "Sex on Fire" but, it turns out, it's absolutely full of jams. The opening track, "Closer" is such a vibe and the album just... keeps slapping all the way through "Cold Desert". I tried to find a reason to dock it a star but even the fact that "Sex on Fire" is SO overplayed couldn't kill the album.

Love a good flash back to my latest teens/early 20s. This album fully resonates with what was going on my life. Kings of Leon were just beyond good, so genius. This album is there most popular, but all their albums before this one belong on this list, no question!

Heel strakke plaat! Top immers en perfect afgemixt

I used to listen to this album on repeat when it came out. Holds up well.

My first “who are these guys?!” and a core music memory. Leans a bit Arena Rock but probably their peak.

This album was everywhere. It had loads of singles. I had heard it before but never a proper listen outside of the singles. It's one of the albums that is just good and will age well (Hot Fuss, Jagged little pill, etc.). Stand out tracks - Closer - Crawl - Sex on Fire - Use Somebody - Revelry - Be Somebody - Notion

Great songs one after another. 4-5 stars but I’ll round.

4.5

very melancholy album

5/5

My personal guilty pleasure.

Actually a great album front to back

Awesome

I really like this album. Good indie rock and some very catchy songs. 5/5

Ooft. Those opening few bars of Closer transported me right back to high school. Kings Of Leon really blew up in the late 00s and epitomised the alt-rock sound of that era. With four songs from this album making Triple J's Hottest 100 for the year including "Closer" which didn't even get an official single release goes to show the pull of the Kings at this point in time. Best: Crawl; Sex On Fire; Use Somebody Worst: I Want You

This album, especially its two lead singles, was HUGE my last two years of college. I’ve always liked, perhaps not loved, the band since. As the kid of a minister myself, I definitely feel a connection to the brothers (and cousin) Followill and their upbringing. Sex On Fire and Use Somebody were inescapable in 2008 and 2009, and KOL became one of the biggest bands in the world seemingly overnight. I discovered their early records after their popularity soared, and at the time I preferred the sound of Youth and Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak to the “Sex On Fire” version of the band. When this album showed up as my album of the day it occurred to me that I’ve never listened to it. It’s honestly a very, very good record. The singles are still the highlight overall, but there isn’t a bad song that I hear on the album. Closer is a really good opener and sets the tone. Notion is a really good deep track later in the album. A very good album from a very good band.

Call me a poser, but I always like Only By The Night better than Youth and Young Manhood. Listening to it today, I might of changed my opinion. It’s a good album, it’s got a smooth vibe, sexy even. I love the opener Closer and the closer, Cold Desert. The singles are certainly overplayed. 7.9/10

Better than expected. Good range.

7/10- The songs on this album were better than the other Kings of Leon album. Sex on Fire and Use Somebody I have heard plenty of times. 17 and I want You were pretty strange songs. 17 was creepy sounding and I want You was just bad and weird to listen to.

good album, some bangers

Pretty good. A little more mellow than what I normally gravitate towards but still solid. I recognized a few songs which was a nice surprise.

A return to the form of their first album after a few albums just wantering the wastelands. Killer list of singles here: "Sex On Fire", "Use Somebody", and "Revelry". I know so many bands who would crawl over miles of broken glass for a list like that in their greatest hits.

This is the first of theirs I've heard besides their debut and it has the main radio hits. I usually find this era of rock pretty generic and while I think this album is, it doesn't push the boundaries in any ways, I still enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Better than their debut but not an album I'd go out of my way to champion. Rating: 4.1

This music tries to be inspirational. I think it succeeds well enough to round up.

Good stuff! I've heard the radio releases and liked them, but never explored deeper. Solid rock album w/out a sniff of "indie rock" to be had! They've got a unique sound, good songwriting, enjoyable singing, good musicianship (particularly some of the bass lines) and what else do you need? This is what this 1001 album project is all about: finding stuff you like that you probably wouldn't have otherwise. Feels like a high price to pay sometimes when you just got through listening to the Residents or Robert Wyatt, though.

Good album! Enjoyed it

I like it! Second half dips though

Back when this came out, I thought it was hella cool. Nowadays it’s borderline cringe - but I still like it.

Love king of Leon. This is their best

Hit track after hit track, takes me back to an amazing summer in 2008!

(reads my highly rated comment on Aha Shake Heartbreak) uh...I apologize Kings of Leon, I was unfamiliar with your game. Favorite track: Crawl

Kings of Leon have such a unique bluesy sound but with a classic garage rock feel. It makes sense that their best album is on this list. The dichotomy between the US and UK critical ratings of this album are a bit of a head-scratcher.

A good album that could improve with more plays. 4 stars or B- for me.