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Kings of Leon debut new single 'Radioactive' and its curious video

Are you joining the choir or are you skipping the party?

By Katie Hasty Wednesday, Sep 8, 2010 6:34 PM

Watch: Kings of Leon debut new single 'Radioactive' and its WTF video

Kings of Leon's "Radioactive"

Let me make one thing clear right off the bat: I think Kings of Leon’s new song “Radioactive” is awesome. 

It’s melodramatic, it shows off Caleb Followill’s vocal range and rocker dynamic, it hints at a broader approach to production on the new, forthcoming album. I think the spiritual lyrics are as memorable as the chorus -- and the song itself is just like one long chorus -- which guarantees both will stick into your head until at least Christmas. (I first heard the track when the band introduced it at Bonnaroo in June, and I could still tell you what it sounded like even before this started streaming.) The tempo is stadium-worthy and the gospel choir is idiosyncratic without being annoying. It's no "Sex on Fire," but it's not supposed to be: it's a standalone, feel-good song for the fall.
 
That being said, I wish it had a different music video.
 
“Radioactive” was posted today on the band’s website and Vevo, in advance of “Come Around Sundown,” due Oct. 19.
 
The action takes place at a picnic, in a park with fields and barns and picket fences. Delicious food abounds, a soccer ball bounces around, children are amused by a visiting magician. It’s a grade-A celebration.
 
Indeed, Kings of Leon are from a small- to middle-sized Southern town in Tennessee and they very well could have stumbled upon this picturesque diorama of Little America one day and considered it representative of where they “came from.” Perhaps the video crew asked that all the town’s children wear their school uniforms for the shoot and to leave their video games at home (the presence of pie was requested, but not required). Maybe what was supposed to be a day-long video shoot turned into lifelong friendships and Lessons Learned, Amen.
 
What catches my eye is: this is a town of (almost) all African-Americans. And then there’s these beardy white rocker dudes. I half expect a footnote or an introduction to the clip, to give some clarity to context: otherwise, it seems, at best, a well-intended but incomplete statement on racial unity and heritage or, at (very) worst, exploitative.
 
Perhaps the band is there to crash the party, bearing the gift of rock. And, the town responds by offering the endowment of gospel. Does that, then, make it KoL’s homage to Southern black culture or a metaphor for gospel’s influence on popular music (in a barn)?
 
Did the band adopt a town? Did the town adopt Kings of Leon? Did the group donate money to a summer camp or have a studio there or something? Is it a trip down memory lane, during which the Family Followill reimagines their youth with their race flipped? Is this what heaven looks like?
 
I don't know what I'm looking at, but on the other hand, I know what I see: circa 2:33, a band member mugs on his knees in a field, arms open for embrace by two little girls. Caleb lip-syncs as he’s flocked by a skipping group of youths, like so many bounding, folksy accessories. It's like a full-body eye-roll.
 
Somewhere in the universe, at some point in time, some production coordinator thought, “Authenticity achieved! We are clear for takeoff!” Then the director called “cut” and everyone had some cola.
 
Anyway, the song sans imagery will be available as a free download to folks who pre-order the album starting Sept. 14.
 
What do you think of “Radioactive” – the song and the video?

Related Searches: Kings of Leon, radioactive, come around sundown

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    Cody

    Video is definitely corny. The song is really catchy and larger than life, but I can't see it doing well on radio.

    September 8, 2010 at 6:45PM EST Reply to Comment
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      austin SO WRONG. I would be so embarrased for them to see this comment of yours.

      September 10, 2010 at 12:54PM EST
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    Billy Dakota

    Their explanation of the song and video is even more perplexing.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EncWEAzYzVM&feature=player_embedded

    September 8, 2010 at 7:05PM EST Reply to Comment
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    faile13

    duh, King's of Leon has a history of Christian rock and this is obviously a choir (you'd know if you'd ever seen a concert by a youth choir) and they just as obviously decided to focus on them for the video. In case you haven't noticed there are many videos out there that have no correlation to the lyrics i.e. All American Rejects 'Give you Hell'.

    September 8, 2010 at 7:56PM EST Reply to Comment
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    ;

    i'm def dissappointed
    i thought it would be cool like old days
    singng with kids???

    September 9, 2010 at 3:51AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Mel

    The video makes sense with the Gospel background and the guys looked like they had a lot of fun making it...not to mention the fact that they are probably really proud to have finally finished this song (that they started writing as teens) I LOVE the song and can't wait to see them this weekend!!!

    September 9, 2010 at 12:41PM EST Reply to Comment
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      austin :)

      September 10, 2010 at 12:53PM EST
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    Angela

    I LOVE the tune, HATE the video. Really Caleb? Suspenders? With those pants and that shirt? Also, where the heck is Matthew? We barely get any face time for him. And the whole "Jared on his knees, embracing the children" moment is awwwwwkward.

    September 9, 2010 at 1:29PM EST Reply to Comment
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      austin Seriously, are you in jr. high. This is about their music. Not Caleb's face or fashion. You obvious don't get the video.

      September 10, 2010 at 12:52PM EST
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    austin

    I think the video goes straight to the roots of the KoL's beginnings. If you're a fan and you know anything about the way they were raised, you will definitely agree with me. There dad was a Pentacostal Evanglelist in the South. They all traveled constantly with their father (uncle) and were exposed to a huge variety of Southern revivals. Being from the south myself, and knowing first hand what type of fanatics these revivals bring out of the woodwork, I think this is a great portrayal (if that's what it even is.) Maybe this is a reflection on their youth, it seems to shed a pretty positive light. I don't know how to put this any other way, but black people know how to Praise the Lord, and this looks like a celebration to me. So to me, it looks like a good, old fashioned Praise session. Not corny, not cliche, just a genuine tribute to how different peolple praise and worship in the South. If you knew anything about the KoL and their past, you would have no question about the meaning of the video. The song is great, and it's a feel good song. It's catchy, and definitely different. I can see allot of radio play, not only bc it's been so long since a new release for KoL, but like with all their music, the song is filled with genuine heart and soul.

    September 10, 2010 at 12:46PM EST Reply to Comment
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      Heather Austin I completely agree.... when I was little my family grew up in the same church the Followills did... out in Millington TN...Sis. Simpson was the Pastor. My mom has been since she was a teenager and still to this day good friends with the guys mom and dad..... I LOVE... that they r going back to their roots... and singing and playing what they grew up playing at church and camp meetings.... puts a big smile on my face!

      October 24, 2010 at 1:15AM EST
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    GD

    I do like the song, I agree with alot of people that the video is corny, but its not bad, Ive been a KOL fan since "The Bucket" came out, so yeah, its good, I smell #1!!

    September 15, 2010 at 12:26PM EST Reply to Comment



  • I would venture to guess that the author of this article is two things: (1) Not from the south. (2) Inexperienced in southern, racially-integrated, holy ghost filled, Pentecostal church services. The “Radioactive” music video is something few people will be able to truly identify with (in regards to the general population of our culture). However, I am proud to say that I am a white guy who grew up in a small town in Tennessee as the son of a preacher/evangelist. I was raised in black Pentecostal churches where we all worshipped alongside each other. Even while many of our fellow community members were a source of self-maintaining racial tension. For many deep-southerners, such as myself, having an experience similar to the one depicted by the KOL in this video is very spiritually moving. I was already a huge KOL fan. However, when I saw this video, I felt so personally connected to it that I re-watched it 2 or 3 times. So call it corny all you want. To some people, this video is nothing more than a rock band’s hokey attempt at being spiritual. But others will be genuinely moved by this video because it touches on a topic which is relatable and emotionally charged.

    December 26, 2010 at 6:47AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Yin

    I don`t mind that there`s more african americans in the video. Even though I`m mixed, don`t be racist cause you wouldn`t like it if someone made fun of your race

    April 1, 2011 at 6:12PM EST Reply to Comment

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Katie Hasty

About This Blog

Katie Hasty is HitFix's New York outpost for movies and music. She served as a web editor and columnist for Billboard Magazine for five years, and has freelanced since 1999 -- as a writer, editor, music supervisor, A&R consultant, radio correspondent, recording artist and concert promoter. She plays guitar and sings in her Brooklyn-based band Numbers And Letters, and loves Christmas songs, dark beer, Tom Waits and serial sentences.

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