Quick N' Dirty Reviews

Kings Of Leon/ Because Of The Times
For some reason, Kings Of Leon have had an easier go of things in the UK than they have at home in the US. They are the rare American band that enjoys superstar status across the pond while struggling to sell records and gain airplay in their native country. All of this could be on the verge of changing because this is the album that will break them huge... provided there’s any justice in the world. For their third release, Because Of The Times, Kings Of Leon decided to roll in the dirt and have come up grimy and filthy. Everything about this record is dirty in the literal sense of the word (if not the contextual one as well). Fuzzed out guitars… primal screaming… classic Skynyrd licks… the smell of the South just wafts off of the record. They have perfected their gumbo of garage rock and Southern rock into the tightest, most textured album of their career. The vitality of this entirely unconventional band is palpable throughout the course of Because Of The Times. To listen to this record is to hear a band improving before your very ears. This is not the same Kings Of Leon that recorded Youth And Young Manhood, or even the one that was responsible for Aha Shake Heartbreak. Instead, you’re listening to a tighter, more mature, and yes, more talented band that has improved in leaps and bounds, particularly when talking about their instrumental skill. The harmonics that shimmer through and provide the backbone for opener “Knocked Up;” the perfectly dirty and fuzzy guitars of “Charmer” and “McFearless;” bassist Jared Followill thrusting to the forefront on lead single “On Call;” the channeling of Skynyrd on “Camaro;” all of it evidence that makes it seem like these guys’ chops came on overnight. While in the past it would have been easy to dismiss Kings Of Leon as a creation of the music press, that theory is no longer accurate. They stand on their own now and, looking where they are at this very moment, it’s downright scary to imagine where they could be if they keep improving at their current pace. If that happens, good luck ignoring them because that will become an impossible task.

Dirty Rating: 86/100

Kings Of Leon On MySpace Music
Kings Of Leon's Official Site

Lily Allen/ Alright, Still
Ever since the night that Satan and Celine Dion had a few drinks, bumped uglies, and spawned American Idol as a result, pop music has become a zone completely devoid of creativity in the music industry. Completely interchangeable cookie-cutter acts became the norm and anything that attempted to challenge that norm was summarily dismissed. Luckily, after years and years of drivel, signs of life have begun sprouting up meaning that either the American public is getting smarter (not likely) or that artists have finally taken matters into their own hands. Lily Allen without a doubt fits this take-charge profile. Her debut, Alright, Still, was released to much acclaim in her native UK in 2006 and finally made its way to the US earlier this year. Along with fellow British party girl Amy Winehouse, Allen is responsible for a budding renaissance of quality pop music in 2007. Opening track “Smile” serves as a perfect introduction to Alright, Still as Allen masks fairly sinister lyrics detailing revenge against a cheating lover with a cheerful melody that proves to be one of the better pop singles of the year. Much of the record follows in this vein with its summery feel provided by the utilization of a light and frothy production on “LDN” and “Everything’s Just Wonderful,” as well as a healthy fascination with reggae that shows up on tracks like “Friday Night,” “Shame For You,” and “Friend Of Mine.” Production aside, perhaps the best weapon that Allen has at her disposal is her attitude, which she could bottle in gallon jugs if she were so inclined. The aforementioned “Smile” and “Not Big” are just downright brutal dismissals of exes and the album’s best track, “Knock ‘Em Out,” sounds like The Streets with boobies as it contemplates the best way for a girl to deflect unwanted advances from losers at a club. For everyone who’s been sleeping on pop music… wake the fuck up because it’s a brand new day and a rebirth is in the offing. Who would have thought that a crazy little thing like talent could revive a slumbering genre?

Dirty Rating: 79/100

Lily Allen On MySpace Music
Lily Allen's Official Site

Sondre Lerche/ Phantom Punch
Can someone please help Sondre Lerche figure out who he wants to be? Is he the singer/songwriter of Two Way Monologue? The jazz singer of The Duper Sessions? Or is he the no-talent hack that’s evident on his latest, Phantom Punch? It’s almost as if Lerche read the press clippings that the Arctic Monkeys were receiving last year and thought, “Hey – I should do THAT!” Tragically no, you can’t, Sondre. It’s bad enough that you tried to rip off an act as overrated as the Arctic Monkeys, but for good measure you decided to rape the Beatles’ music along with it. That’s criminal and you should be ashamed of yourself. Phantom Punch is an exercise in tedium, what with its annoying repetition (“Airport Taxi Reception” and “She’s Fantastic”), inane lyrics (“Tragic Mirror”), Arctic Monkey blow jobs (“The Tape” and “Face The Blood”), and shameless Beatles riff-stealing (“Say It All”). Perhaps no song better illustrates the frustration that one feels in listening to Phantom Punch than “John, Let Me Go.” Starting out with an interesting dub beat that lasts, oh, ten seconds before spiraling into yet more boring lyrics and forgettable guitarwork, Lerche teases you into thinking that there’s something here when in reality there’s nothing. Kinda like his career.

Dirty Rating: 37/100

Sondre Lerche On MySpace Music
Sondre Lerche's Official Site