“It’s like we allowed ourselves to be musically vulnerable. I love it when a rock band is not embarrassed to admit that every song doesn’t have to be on 11.”
Kings Of Leon (Credit: Matthew Followill)
American rockers Kings Of Leon have announced the release of their ninth album, Can We Please Have Fun, due to land on Friday, 10 May, via Universal Music Australia.
Today’s album announcement arrives after the Sex On Fire rockers recently scored a new label partnership with Capitol Records. In addition to announcing the LP, Kings Of Leon dropped the new single, Mustang.
With singer Caleb Followill almost channelling Nine Inch Nails vocalist Trent Reznor in the verses, Mustang is a pretty unsure number from Kings Of Leon, offering a side of wacky alt-rock with their signature rock and roll vibes. You can watch the music video below.
Kings Of Leon recorded the new album at Dark Horse studio in Nashville and linked up with a new collaborator: Kid Harpoon, known for working with the likes of Harry Styles and Florence + The Machine.
According to a press release, Can We Please Have Fun is an album that honours the band’s gritty rock beginnings while getting comfortable in new gears. In a statement, Caleb Followill shared that making the album was a thrill: “It was the most enjoyable record I’ve ever been a part of,” he said.
Drummer (and Caleb’s brother) Nathan Followill added, “It’s like we allowed ourselves to be musically vulnerable. I love it when a rock band is not embarrassed to admit that every song doesn’t have to be on 11.”
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Reflecting on the familial bond that defines the band, Caleb continued, “When you have a band, there’s a bond like no other, and when you have family, you have a bond like no other. We have both of those things. I thought, if we put all our energy toward something, who is gonna stop us? Who can stop us except us?”
You can pre-order/pre-save Can We Please Have Fun here.
In late 2022, Kings Of Leon toured Australia for the first time in over ten years, promoting their eighth album, When You See Yourself. Following its release in March 2021, the record debuted on the ARIA Albums chart at #1, gifting the Nashville outfit their fourth local top-charting album.
You can read The Music’s review of their show at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl here.