Kings of Leon have now introduced two songs from their new album “Mechanical Bull.” “Supersoaker” was the first single, swooning over sentimental girls. This new track “Wait for Me,” has the band slowing their gait to mid-tempo.
For the latter, it kicks off like a slower version of “Twilight Zone” — no, not the theme song to the show, but the Golden Earring mega-hit from 1982. While we’re jumping decades, it pounces all over late-’90s mainstream rockers, with lyrics earnestly, timelessly generic. This is a harmless, safe passage toward radio, but doesn’t pop like “Use Somebody” or “Crawl” did previously. Then again, I thought “Radioactive” should have blown up bigger than it did, so it depends on what temperature rock dials are feeling now at the end of this summer.
In the newly released “Supersoaker” video, contemplate the generous hours it takes to look breezily cool as each member does before they take up their parts. Perhaps the sounds of a porn and the looks of a 1970s teen exploitation film help the yellow-tinted Instagrammed edges of this long-form selfie, which give a third dimension to this smart, quick little number.
I’m still waiting for the part where Kings Of Leon attack their songs like they did on “Youth & Young Manhood,” as Jared Followill promised back in March. “Mechanical Bull” is out on Sept. 24, so we won’t have to wait too long to find out.
KoL’s AmEx Unstaged concert, to be directed by Fred Armisen, will be out even sooner, to be live-webcast on Aug. 9 from London. Watch the funny promos below. Who do you think is the best KoL member, since we’re counting?