10.
Kings Of Leon
Only By The Night

About as unexpected as it gets. I really hated the last two Kings Of Leon albums, and yet for some reason there’s something about this one that I love. I have no idea what sets it apart. It seems to have a fairly similar sound to their previous offerings, and I still find Caleb Followill’s voice a bit grating, but the songs on offer are just so strong. I was given a copy of this – I’d never have sought it out myself – and on first listen I was fairly sure that my preconceived view was correct: load of crap. I stuck with it, though, and I’m so glad I did. ‘Sex On Fire’ was, perhaps inevitably, my pathway into loving this record. However, there are numerous other great tracks to be found after a little digging. I simply can’t get ‘Revelry’ out of my head. ‘Be Somebody’ has a wonderful rolling quality to it, and ‘Cold Desert’ is a lovely laid back finale. Right now, this is the record that I'm playing more than any other and it's still growing in my estimation; if the year hadn't ended when it did, it could maybe have got an even higher placing. I’m not sure if it’s Kings Of Leon that have changed or if it’s my taste. Either way, this record is awesome.