Kings of Leon have released a new song called "My Whole World", and this is a much softer side of the band than the huge stadium-rock sound most people probably associate with them.

The track has this really warm country and Americana feeling to it. It actually reminds me a little bit of John Mayer's Born and Raised era, which I am a massive fan of. There is something about acoustic guitars, warm electric guitar tones and a fairly simple rhythm section that just works for me.

Caleb Followill sounds great here as well. His vocals sit very clearly at the front of the mix, which I think is important for this kind of track because the lyrics are really doing a lot of the work.

The song deals with family, gratitude and looking back on important memories. Apparently, Caleb came up with it after injuring his foot and being forced to spend more time at home. He picked up an acoustic guitar, and the song came together very quickly.
I find that quite interesting because sometimes being forced to stop doing everything can probably help creatively. You suddenly have nothing else to distract you.

Instrumentally, I really like how uncluttered everything feels. The guitars sound warm and natural, the drums are fairly restrained, and there are no unnecessary layers fighting for attention. It would have been very easy to throw a huge chorus into this and turn it into some stadium anthem, but I think keeping everything small was the right choice.

Doing some research, their upcoming album O My Beloved is also the first Kings of Leon album produced entirely by the band themselves. I think you can hear that freedom here. It does not sound like somebody told them they needed another "Sex on Fire". It sounds like they are just making the music that feels right for them now.

Some longtime fans seem slightly divided on the softer direction, which I understand. If you want the loud, aggressive side of Kings of Leon, this probably will not be your favourite track. Personally, I think there is something nice about hearing a band grow older without pretending they are still the exact same people they were twenty years ago.

"My Whole World" is simple, warm and very tasteful. This feels like the kind of track you put on late at night with a couple of friends and just let play in the background. Really nice stuff.

Author: Peter Källman

Peter Källman is a writer from Sweden who loves playing in bands, writing reviews and going to live shows!