KINGS OF LEON Rock without rebellion

The band's latest album is 'Aha Shake Heartbreak.'
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENCE
CLEVELAND -- The "sweatbox" is how Kings of Leon singer Caleb Followill refers to the Beachland Ballroom, where the band performed to a packed, sweaty crowd last spring.
However, heat and humidity are nothing new to the Followill brothers -- Caleb, Nathan and Jared -- who grew up traveling the countryside from town to town with their evangelist father. Despite such a transient youth, their story is anything but de rigueur rock 'n' roll rebellion. In fact, traveling long distances in a car or van prepared them for their rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
Perhaps even more surprising is their lack of animosity toward their parents. Caleb readily admits a deep love for his folks, saying he and his brothers are all mama's boys, especially when it comes to taking scissors to their long manes.
"One time when I was younger, I went and got a haircut at like Supercuts because I wanted to get a bowl cut," Caleb said, calling from London. "So, when I came in the house and had it, she cried. I pretty much knew that I wouldn't go get any haircuts anywhere else."
Such family harmony -- cousin Matthew is also in the group -- is anti-rock 'n' roll. Where's the angst? Where's the revolution?
Not rebellious -- honest
"We try not to be rebellious," Caleb said. "We feel like people that know us or people who have known us in our lives might look at us and brush us off thinking we were trying to be rebellious by writing songs as honestly as we write them. But we never try to sound perverted. We never try to sound sinful. We just try to use our lack of education to just be completely pure and completely honest and like an open book."
Don't be fooled. These guys have been known to party with many the supermodel. However, when it comes to their musical careers, nothing is taken for granted. The band's 2003 debut "Youth & amp; Young Manhood" was met with critical acclaim but little mainstream exposure. The same scenario appeared to be happening with the band's recently released follow-up "Aha Shake Heartbreak." Then U2 stepped in, picking the quartet to open on its sold-out spring stateside tour.
Now it's back to the clubs for Kings of Leon, but the boys feel things are on the rise. And they should.
Garage rock influences
What makes "Aha Shake Heartbreak" stand out from any other album of its kind is the freedom in which the Followill gang attacks its music. While the new album has less Southern flair and more garage rock influences, perhaps even sounding Strokes-esque at times (Caleb says he hears Television and Joy Division but not Julian Casablancas and friends), what separates it from other discs of its ilk is diversity.
"The Bucket" is hooky and simple and "Soft" gets the toes tapping but it's the off-center "Milk" that positions the foursome as a band to keep your eye on over the next few years. Beginning with simple guitar chords and Caleb's guttural howl, which is reminiscent of two alley cats going at it in the middle of the night, the track is an emotionally draining cathartic release.
Naturally, seeing the band live rounds out the Kings of Leon experience. Luckily for Followill, his band is due to play Thursday at the air-conditioned Odeon Concert Club. As for what fans can expect, it's a recharged band on the run.
"We're playing some of the best shows that we ever played in our lives and we're walking off every night and normally you walk off and are like, 'Good show,'" Followill said. "But not sounding cocky, here lately we just walk off stage and it's like, 'Job well done.' We don't really have to talk about it and analyze it like we used to."