“Only By The Night” is the new album by the band Kings of Leon and came out September 23.

It’s the fourth album for the brothers Caleb, Jared, Nathan, and cousin Nathan Followill. The usually southern rock band seems to be making a transition into a new sound. Usually hard rocking songs with interesting lyrics, this album has softer background guitar solos with melodic, still interesting lyrics that should leave fans happy.

This album is so different compared to all the other Kings of Leon albums that comparing them would be unfair. “Only By The Night” shows how versatile this band can be, especially considering the front man and lead singer Caleb wrote some of the songs while on painkillers following shoulder surgery. This is especially obvious in the opening track “Closer” with the song being about a vampire and human in love.

The two complaints and the two reasons this album gets an 8/10 rating and not a 10/10 is because it is somewhat short and could use better songs around the great ones. “Only By the Night” is only 11 songs, a small album in anyone’s eyes. However, that seems to be the Kings of Leon’s style. Their first album “Youth and Young Manhood” was only 11 songs, second album “Aha Shake Heartbreak” was 13 songs, and their breakout third album “Because of the Times” was only 12 songs. So it’s not uncommon for the Kings of Leon. It’s better to put out 11 song albums once a year than 16 or 17 song albums every 3 years.

Also they decided to start the album “Closer”, “Crawl”, “Sex on Fire”, and “Use Somebody”. Throwing all but two of their home run songs in the beginning without anything in-between. That results in a middle that leaves listeners a little bored in between. After the song “Use Somebody”, they have two songs “Manhattan” and “Revelry”. These songs aren’t that bad, but they’re definitely weak compared to the others. Then after the song “17” is the two songs “Notion” and “I want you”. Again good songs with “I Want You” probably being the best of the weak material. Then after “Be Somebody” is last the song on the album, “Cold Desert”. This is probably the worst song on the album. Now obviously not every song can be number one hit good, but if they would have split up the beginning stack, they might have a more interesting middle and end.

Those negatives aside, this album is a great listen. It’s one of those albums that you need to listen to a few times to really understand. The first time it’s listened to the big songs, “Sex on Fire”, “Crawl”, “Use Somebody” and “Be Somebody” will probably be the songs that jump out. But those songs will get stuck in your head and lead to other great song like “17”, “Closer”, and “I Want You” to follow suit.

Overall “Only By The Night” is an album that will get better every time it’s listened to. And will satisfy all loyal Kings of Leon fans. The songs “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody” is definitely some of their best work.

--Submitted by Anthony Scianna, Staff Reporter