This is an album that I’ve had for a long time, but never really got into. That’s partly because I was four when it was released, and partly because when people of my age think of Kings of Leon, the first thing that comes to mind is generally their latest album (Which just quite frankly isn’t the kind of thing I’d listen to).
What I really like about the album is that it is something different- a breath of fresh air. Many things come to mind when I think of different music. One thing that comes to mind would be something along the lines of Mercury Rev. Maybe it’s because I’m young, and I’m sure I will get into them when I’m older- but I just find it quite difficult to listen to the voice of the singer in Mercury Rev. Aha Shake Heartbreak is different in the sense that the Followill’s voice is very unique, but nonetheless I can really listen to it.
There are some beautiful songs on the album: my favourites are The Bucket, Slow Night So Long, Four Kicks and Soft. In Soft, you can really see what I mean when I talk about the very fast, furious and crazy music- the guitar and the drums are manic, but this is all in a good way. Where Nobody Knows is probably the most beautiful of those four mentioned above. It’s also the calmest of the songs, the most gentle. The Bucket features in my most recent post ‘Top Eleven Intros’, and definitely deserves its place. The song is arguably the most well known of the album, and is the one you’re most likely to hear on the radio.
The cover art of this CD is unexpected, but a beautiful image. It really resembles Where Nobody Knows somehow, with its calmness and elegance of a flower just floating across the water. This album is actually one of my favourites for lyrics-
“With hands in the air you look like the girl at the fare
With the bubbly eyes
Stonewashed shoe pulling at a rock but the rock don’t compromise
Come up to me say, why are you so skinny and pretty for a boy?
Said thanks for the insults and compliments
You’ll never forget my face no more” those lyrics from Where Nobody Knows.
The reason, in my eyes, as to why the album isn’t played on the radio very much is because people don’t want to listen to music that isn’t as current and are afraid of listening to Followill’s voice when it doesn’t have some sort of choir in the background. The music is also played less because there is no ‘club remix/synthesiser’ feel to it. With the likes of acoustic music such as Jake Bugg round the corner, I think this could be the time for the rebirth of Aha Shake Heartbreak. I also heard that Kings of Leon are releasing a new album this year, so hopefully they will have some more authentic, acoustic guitar.
Thanks for reading, all feedback would be fully appreciated.
Ethan.
juvenile hearing 