Track of the Week: Kings of Leon - 'Trani'

image: smh.com.au

Set in the time where they were the hill-billy blues rockers with hair longer than mine and beards that would give the new age of male models a run for their money. Kings of Leon are since a band who have transformed into an arena-rock phenomenon, destined for commercial success. This, however, seems pretty hard to believe when you dip into the depths of their bluesy back catalogue.

The Nashville born quartet’s debut, Youth & Young Manhood, has always held a special place in my heart despite the fact that it’s worlds apart from their best known hits like ‘Sex on Fire’ and the more recent ‘Supersoaker’. One track that always stands out for me, however: ‘Trani’. Opening with laid back, lazy guitars, which is typical of their earlier material, and building up into a wondrous mess of brash percussion and jerky riffs, made even better by frontman, Caleb Followill’s deafeningly screechy vocals- ‘Trani’ is, without a doubt, one of many masterpiece’s brought to us by the colossal force that is Kings of Leon, although it is massively overlooked.

It’s highly debateable that the Tennessee based four piece have lost their edge in the past few years, following the release of their critically acclaimed fourth album Only by the Night, but who cares if they have? With tracks like this under their belt and an array of commercial hits that are still remarkable even if they do lack the rowdy, hill-billy blues of their earlier stuff.

Written for PostMusicDepression.