Kings of Leon

关于来自美国纳什维尔的Kings of Leon，乐队最有趣的也许就是他们的童年经历，队中的四位同胞兄弟从小就跟随着身为牧师的父亲出入教堂进行宗教仪式，而乐队Kings of Leon的命名也正是来自父亲和外祖父的名字。四个听着Neil Young长大的年轻人深受布鲁斯、朋克还有南方摇滚的影响，2003年当乐队以一张《Youth & Young Manhood》亮相乐坛的时候，评论界都惊呼，“教堂里走出了一群摇滚客。”所有评论都一致地将美国南方摇滚复苏的契机放在了他们的身，而音乐中浓厚的车库摇滚的痕迹也使得Kings of Leon成为车库复古大军中强力的一支。
在初演赚得足够的口碑后，2006年Kings of Leon又以一张《Aha Shake Heartbreak》抢占了几乎所有音乐杂志推荐的头条，此时的乐队也真正摘掉“唱诗班”的头衔，一跃成为美国独立音乐界的明星，而在大洋彼岸的英国，乐队更是得到极力的追捧。这支平均年龄才过二十四岁的年轻乐队成功地逃脱了“第二张专辑”的魔咒，对于他们，一切似乎都已进入正常的轨道。因此当乐队透露发行新专辑的消息后，大部分人都认为Kings of Leon完全可以再做一张《Aha Shake Heartbreak》式的专辑，安安稳稳地赚得满堂喝彩。这样的选择对于乐队的短期发展也许是安全的，但对于一支在成长过程中的乐队来说，坐吃山空是最大的忌讳，因此Kings of Leon选择了带有点赌博性质的方式，正如鼓手Nathan Followill所说，“也许歌迷们习惯听我们以前的歌曲了，但这次我们要让所有人大吃一惊。”
事实是乐队将他们的第三张专辑作为了跳板，他们期望用全力的一跳实现质的飞跃，正如主唱 Caleb自信满满所说，“我们将全部精力都放在了这张专辑中，在录音室中我们尽量地发挥想象，为的是实现音乐质的飞跃，因为我们还有很多灵感，还可以让更多地方的歌迷知道我们的摇滚。”《Because of the Times 》正是Kings of Leon的雄心硕果，2007年四月乐队在Hand Me Down旗下正式发行了这张背负太多重望的专辑。相比于歌迷的期待，乐队自己也赋予这张专辑更多的含义，单单从专辑的命名就能看出乐队是何等的苦心，“Because of the Times”其实是指在路易斯安娜州的Alexandria举行的宗教年会，而这句话也是取自摇滚界里的一句俗语，“If an album does well it’s because of the times”（如果一张专辑获得好评，那是因为它赶上了好时候。）
《Because of the Times》算是踩准了步点，在美国摇滚界普遍趋于平缓的时候，Kings of Leon适时的引爆，就如在闷慌的铁皮屋里一颗戛然响起炸弹，不需要有多大的威力，只要它能豁开一块空间，引起新的空气。新专辑一经发行，除了得到各大杂志的追捧外，发行第一周就在英国登上了第一的位置，这也是乐队第一张取得如此佳绩的专辑，因此可以说，《Because of the Times》获得了人心和影响力上的双重成功。
虽然还是支年轻的乐队，但Kings of Leon绝不会甘于唱些青春期萌动的歌曲来逗歌迷们开心，歌曲的主题一般都来自平日生活，并没有太多狂想杂念。开场曲《Knocked Up》讲述的就是在外界非议下依然挣扎生存的恋人，新专辑依然请来同为Ryan Adams制作人的Ethan
Initially embraced as "the Southern Strokes" for their resurrection and reinvention of Dixie-styled rock & roll, Kings of Leon steadily morphed themselves into an experimental rock outfit during the 2000s. The Tennessee-bred quartet debuted in 2003 with the Holy Roller Novocaine EP, whose blend of raw, unpolished boogie rock was further explored on their debut full-length, Youth & Young Manhood. Such revivalist music was matched by a similarly revivalist appearance -- including long hair, mustaches, and tight-fitting denim -- and Kings of Leon experienced immediate popularity in the U.K. (where they would later enjoy platinum album sales, despite a persistently lukewarm reception at home). As the band explored different sonic textures with subsequent releases, most notably on 2006's Because of the Times, those tenuous links to the Strokes were finally dissolved.
Comprised of three Followill brothers -- Caleb (guitar), Nathan (drums), and Jared (bass) -- as well as first cousin Matthew Followill (guitar), Kings of Leon formed in 2000. The Followill siblings had spent their youth traveling across America's heartland with their evangelist father, decamping at Pentecostal churches and tent revivals for several days at a time before moving onward. When their father resigned from the church and divorced his wife in 1997, the boys relocated to Nashville and embraced the rock music (not to mention the accompanying lifestyle) they'd previously been denied. Cousin Matthew was added to the lineup, and a Southern garage rock sound quickly emerged. RCA took note, signing the band in 2001 and facilitating a partnership with Nashville-based producer Angelo Petraglia, who furthered the band's rock & roll education and co-wrote the material for 2003's Holy Roller Novocaine EP.
Tours across North America and the U.K. coincided with the release of the band's full-length debut, Youth & Young Manhood, that same summer. Buoyed by the single "Molly's Chambers," the album saw moderate success in the U.K. However, it was the band's sophomore effort, 2004's Aha Shake Heartbreak, that made them European stars, with three songs cracking the U.K. singles charts. The album saw an American release in February 2005, and Kings of Leon toured the country alongside U2 before retreating to work on their third effort. The darker, more expansive Because of the Times followed in 2007. Featuring production from Ethan Johns (who had helmed the band's previous releases as well), the album proved to be the band's biggest release, debuting at number 25 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and topping the album charts in the U.K., Ireland, and New Zealand.