Working with producer Kid Harpoon brought a "pop-leaning" sensibility to their southern rock roots, but instead of smoothing them out, he helped them sharpen their edges. The production has been praised for being "invariably excellent".
Nathan Followill echoed that sentiment: "We were able to curate it to exactly what we wanted it to be. That was a big positive for us".
The centerpiece was a 26-city North American arena tour with special guest Phantogram. The tour kicked off on August 14 at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, and weaved its way across the continent, with notable stops at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, Forest Hills Stadium in New York, and the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The run of shows concluded in Bridgeport, Connecticut on October 5, delivering the album's dynamic new tracks to fans around the globe. Kings Of Leon - Can We Please Have Fun -2024- M...
A track reflecting on the complexity of modern relationships and the distance created by technology.
— The band shifts into darker territory here, with a propulsive bassline that undulates beneath Followill's casual phrasing: "Get some / Tough love / Sweetheart, it's just bad luck". The song has been described as Joy Division meets indie rock — messy, distorted, and genuinely fun. Working with producer Kid Harpoon brought a "pop-leaning"
Kid Harpoon
For over two decades, Kings of Leon have weathered the turbulent seas of rock stardom. From the gritty, Southern-fried garage rock of their youth to the world-conquering, stadium-sized anthems of the late 2000s, the Followill brothers (Caleb, Nathan, and Jared) and their cousin (Matthew) have checked every box on the rock-and-roll bucket list. Yet, with great success came the crushing weight of expectation. For years, their music felt increasingly polished, careful, and burdened by the formula of their massive hits. That was a big positive for us"
Upon its release in May 2024, Can We Please Have Fun received some of the strongest critical praise for the band in fifteen years. Critics universally lauded the production choices, noting that the album successfully marries the raw, unpolished grit of Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004) with the polished melodic sensibilities of their later work.