Can we talk about Kings of Leon for a second?

When I first moved in with Smang in early 2006, she was going through a sad season. She was just in a blue place. I've been there. Many times. She didn't want to go out & have fun. She didn't want to get out of bed. She just didn't want to do anything.

Every night, when I'd come from work, Smang would inevitably be sitting in the computer room (this is pre-laptops), listening to the iTunes. It seemed as though she only ever listened to one song. I didn't know who sang it, but it only had three words, and they were howled.

day oh day oh day oh
day oh day oh day oh
day oh day oh day oh
blooooo-hoooos

Every. Goddamned. Night.

Finally, exhausted by the howling song, I asked her, "who is this?", determined to despise whatever band it was, now and forever more.

"It's Kings of Leon. It's four brothers and a cousin. The lead singer is Caleb. I love him."

"Well, Caleb looks like a woman and I fucking hate this song! I'm so over them."

"They're pretty good, Dude. You should give them a listen."

"I'd rather nail water to a sponge, thanks." Then I sneered and walked out of the room.

Fast forward to summer last year. Maybe it was spring. I think it was during the bender I went on. And that period is, understandably, a bit fuzzy.

Smang and I were catching up on some Tivo. She'd Tivo-ed The Tonight Show. And this band came on. And the song starts of with this incredibly haunting sound. And then this boy, with very intense eyes, sings "She said call me now, baby, and I'd come a-runnin'" a couple of times. And then a fuzzy bass kicks in. And the drums. And you know I am a sucker for fuzzy bass and a deep drumbeat.

"Who is this?", I queried. I was intrigued. I should have known better.

"Kings of Leon.", replied Smang, with a big ol' grin on her face.

And that's how she sucked me in. I wanted to hate them. I am just full of rage and bile, and applying it to Kings of Leon seemed to make sense. Dammit if I don't just love them, though.

I hate it that Smang is often right.