Leaning even further toward a kind of
post-punk
meets
prog rock
aesthetic than on their first two albums, Nashville-based
Kings of Leon
have crafted a darker, less
pop
-oriented and somewhat cerebral affair with 2007's
Because of the Times
. In fact, if
Alan Parsons
lent
the Allman Brothers
his spaceship,
would be the resulting space odyssey. While that leads to some intriguing moments, the general move away from strong, hooky choruses to a focus on expansive, intricate and percussive arrangements may challenge casual and even some longtime fans of the band's catchy, Southern
garage rock
twang. That said, cuts like the atmospheric and brooding lead-off track
"Knocked Up"
showcase lead-singer
Caleb Followill
's growing maturity as a singer and lyricist, and bring to mind favorable comparisons to such artists as
Neil Young
and
Bruce Springsteen
. Similarly, the moody single
"On Call"
and the roiling, dramatic
"McFearless,"
while not immediately hummable, do sink into your memory, revealing layers of melody and emotion on repeated listens. ~ Matt Collar