1.5 very poor

AggravatedYeti | May 11th 09

After hearing the atrocious 'Sex On Fire' plus all their other bullshit releases I'm not really sure why I bothered with this. Watching this band ascend past their supposed grass roots to arena status has been less than gratifying, at least on their part. Passing up the inspired instrumental play between band members and their old Southern feel for a plastic sheen ready to reflect the stage lights, they produce their biggest flop yet. It may seem that I'm bitching about them 'making it. No, I'm bitching about their new lack of inspiration on phone-in's like 'Closer', 'Use Somebody' and 'Manhattan', not to mention the worst offender, lead off single 'Sex On Fire'. A song about a lead singer's great sex life collapses with boring riffs, awful drumming and a clunky chorus. These problems plague the whole of 'Only By The Night' and leave it as a lack luster release from a band that, personally, is yet to find themselves, let alone reach a stride. 1 Bumps | Bump

4.0 excellent

Ross Tomlin | December 19th 08

This album is such an improvement from old Kings of Leon. Consistently good, the music is still mellower than a lot of rock out there today, but that in itself is an achievement. From lead single Sex on Fire to album opener Closer and the equally brilliant Use/Be Somebody, the standout tracks are catchy, rhythmical and brilliantly produced. With a little extra 'oomph' in the middle section of the album, this would have been amazing, instead it is just a great album, with a stellar vocal performance and good old fashioned rocky tunes. 1 Bumps | Bump

4.5 superb	Erik Bailey | July 19th 09
this band gets better and better with each album and this one has very few things wrong with it. their sound is much more mature and complete now. "closer" is an awesome song, definitely the best on the album. i loved "use somebody" but now it is so overplayed everywhere that i can barely even listen to it. Bump

3.5 great

Brien C. Stevenson | April 21st 09

Kings of Leon continue to improve their particular breed of laid back southern-tinged rock with their latest instalment. This sites review sums up the album best, but to reiterate, vocalist Caleb Followill's voice has improved tremendously, and the entire band itself seems to be embracing an sense of orginality. This disc is definitely a step in the right direction, and the potential of the this unit just got greater. Bump

3.5 great

AliW1993 | April 7th 09

Only By The Night is Kings Of Leon's big breakthrough album, and as you would expect is far more accessible than their earlier material. While this new approach has alienated older fans, it has attrated countless new ones with smash hits like Sex On Fire, Revelry and Use Somebody. The album tracks are great too, in fact there aren't any weak ones here. Crawl in particular is a highlight of the album with an infectious, fuzzy bassline that's sure to jump out at you straight away. The main flaw the album has is that the second half is largely uninteresting, with no really great songs and too many slower ones. Bump

4.0 excellent

Brandon E.L. Magnuson | January 2nd 09

Kings Of Leon grow their Alternative Southern Rock sound into a surprising piece of dirty and catchy, but mellow and epic Rock N Roll geniusness. Caleb Followill's raw and desperate vocals matches exceptionally well with a fantastic and catchy as hell rhythm section and nearly perfect the sound that they have been striving towards their whole career. With a pool of influences, ranging from The Who and Neil Young to Coldplay and U2 Only By The Night contains eleven atmospheric rock songs that are more then danceable without losing an inch of substance. Bump

4.0 excellent	jonroe | November 25th 08
Havent really ever enjoyed there old stuff that much but this album i think is a really good step forward for them. its a very mellow album and is really enjoyable to sit around and listen and use as background music, i would say the best songs on this album are use somebody and closer. Bump

4.0 excellent

Dan Keyes | November 25th 08

Musically, I love this album. Lyrically, though, Kings of Leon's "Only By The Night" leaves much to be desired. When these boys grow up and stop singing about trivial and immature concepts, they have the potential to be an excellent band. Until then, this album proves that they are at least ready musically to make a significant impact. Highlights on the album include "Manhattan," "Closer," and "Crawl." Bump

0.0	Conor Mackie | October 30th 08
Chart-topping fourth album by KOL (displacing Metallica's Death Magnetic where I live),Only by the Night is a lot better than they're previous album.However,it's still a bit mellow for my liking compared to their first two albums but still pretty good.Sex on Fire is beginning to annoy me now though,its already being overplayed...for me anyway Bump