For more than two decades, Matthew Followill has been recognised as the lead guitarist and co-founder of Kings Of Leon, helping shape a catalogue that transformed the Nashville group into one of the defining rock bands of the 21st century. Now, under the alias CMF, Followill reveals a very different side of his creative identity with the release of his debut solo project, If We’re Apart, I’m Somewhere Missing You.
Spanning twenty-six original compositions, the album finds Followill stepping away from arena-sized hooks and guitar-driven anthems in favour of something considerably more intimate. Rooted in ambient music, folktronica and cinematic experimentation, the project unfolds like a collection of sonic postcards gathered across years of travel, reflection and creative exploration.
Rather than relying on traditional song structures, If We’re Apart, I’m Somewhere Missing You focuses on atmosphere and emotion. Followill’s distinctive guitar work remains central throughout, though it is transformed into a vehicle for texture rather than melody. Tracks such as ‘Our National Treasure,’ ‘Soap Opera, I Never Say It,’ ‘But I Always Want To (You’re Still My Hero),’ and ‘Peach Fuzz’ drift through layers of reverb-soaked instrumentation and hazy sonic landscapes, revealing an artist unconcerned with convention.
Elsewhere, the album explores a rich palette of synthesised sounds. The gently pulsing arpeggios of ‘Morningness,’ the immersive drones of ‘AM.2′ and ‘AM.3,’ and the slow-moving expanses of ‘Waning Moon and Waxing Moon‘ showcase a fascination with space, repetition and subtle movement.
The project’s origins were deeply personal. Speaking about the album, Followill explains:
“The idea for making this music came from the joy of creating and experimenting with everything I’ve collected over the years. I wanted it to reflect what I gravitate to as a listener; organic instrumentation blending with ambient textures.”
That spirit of experimentation runs throughout the record. Rhythmic elements emerge unexpectedly on pieces such as ‘Country Silver’ and ‘Good Time Killer,’ while delays, processed guitars and grainy textures constantly reshape the sonic environment.
The result is a body of work that feels detached from expectation and commercial pressure. Instead, it serves as a glimpse into the music Followill creates when left entirely to his own instincts—an immersive, reflective and unexpectedly moving debut that reveals a previously unseen dimension of one of modern rock’s most recognisable musicians.
If We’re Apart, I’m Somewhere Missing You Track list:
- Room Song
- Improvision4
- Our National Treasure
- Morningness
- Soap Opera
- I Could Live Here
- AM.3
- I Never Say It, But I Always Want To (You’re Still My Hero)
- Good Time Killer
- Somnolence
- Timeoff
- Country Silver
- Art Of Speed Talking
- Boyboots
- 5600KLVN
- Sega Genesis
- Healer Cheeks
- Peach Fuzz
- Beat On Beauty
- Studio 8
- AM.2
- Mary’s Lamb
- Together
- Waning Moon
- Waxing Moon
- Dually Dreaming
