REVIEW (Music): Come Around Sundown
READING TIME: 5 MINUTES
The band retained their country heritage by composing a pure southern rock soundtrack with this record, showing they haven’t lost their roots even after attaining commercial success with their previous album. However, it is widely accessible no matter what corner of the earth you reside with songwriting based on universal themes. It doesn’t forcefully suck you into an unknown life, and it succeeds in its themes of familiarity, maturity and dealing with everyday life.
This album's concepts revolve around reflections of life once the sun [life-giver] comes down at the end of the day. Nonetheless while some good things must come to an end, some just start in nocturnal fashion. This is a collection of love songs, and sonically the country rock guitar melodies and drum beats paint vivid pictures. Imagery that come to mind include sitting in a truck in countryside farm at dusk, soothingly hearing strumming guitar strings, and/or picture the scene of sitting in a midwestern bar drinking your sorrows away - all depicted from Hollywood films of course. Some of these glimpses of Southern life are described in the lyrics of 'Back Down South’, 'The Immortals’ and ‘Mi Amigo’.
The juxtaposition of the first track titled ‘The End’ opens up about anticipating “THE end". Initially there’s a depressing, solemn tone but its listening experience is so entrancing the song eases you into the lesson of learning to give in and accept closure. Songs like ‘Radioactive', ‘Pyro' and ‘No Money' interweave references relating to Southern America’s prominence of evangelical Protestantism. Religious references like “drinking water where you came from”, the double entendre “Mary (marry) if you want to” and “I’ve been down to the horns and back" tie in to how strong KOL’s identity is tugged to Tennessee and the band are proud to have not ever forgotten their identity, always self-reflecting on their [former] selves. This is even despite the fact they moved and recorded this album partially in New York, which they reported was a survival tactic in need to break out of, at times, a toxic depressing Tennessee. This whole idea is referenced mostly in ‘No Money’ which uses the metaphor of candles to represent their passion for music: "I'm way too tired of blowing out the burning candle”, and this helps build the image that like homeless people they wanted to pick up and move to a new city, for renewed life and rekindle their everlasting burning passion.
Lastly, despite its country roots the laid back shimmering production is reminiscent of other prominent soft rock artists such as U2, Bruce Springsteen and Led Zeppelin. And the relaxed production allows the record’s strongest element to shine through: Caleb’s prowess vocals - perfect for stadium rock (which Pitchfork described disparagingly). These vocals emote the narrator’s despair and pain throughout the entire record, where the raw strained voice mirror the struggles of attachment when enduring life, the scrutinisation of what once could have been and the moment giving in once approaching death. All as being highlighted in ‘Pyro', and to quote the lyric “Everything I cherish is slowly dying or it’s gone.” To not end this on a pessimistic note, the record leaves us with the gentle reminder in realising many aspects of life are out of one’s control and nature will always take its course, so we must realise when these moments are and just let go.
