Track Listing

1. Talihina Sky
2. Red Morning Light
3. Happy Alone
4. Wasted Time
5. Joe's Head
6. Trani
7. California Waiting
8. Spiral Staircase
9. Molly's Chambers
10. Genius
11. Dusty
12. Holy Roller Novocaine

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1462 in Music
• Brand: RCA
• Released on: 2003-08-19
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .16 pounds

Amazon.com
Already tagged with the unfortunate critical label of "southern-fried Strokes," the full-length debut by the brothers Followill (Nathan, Jared, Caleb) and cousin (Matthew Followill) may well have its roots in their itinerant evangelist father Leon blasting his sons with relentless doses of ‘70s rock as they traveled the South from one preaching gig to the next. But the way the Kings channel sources as disparate as Led Zeppelin's "That's the Way" into "Joe's Head" or the Who's "Circles" into their ""Molly's Chambers" seems almost subconscious; after a decade of bands trying to reinvent the rock wheel, it's refreshing to hear one content to gleefully pry it loose and send it spinning in their own peculiar directions. As with all the great ones, deconstructing the Kings' sound doesn't get you far: singer/guitarist Caleb perpetually seems to be rolling one too many syllables off a lazy, Southern tongue while his haystack-haired brothers and cousin chug maniacally along like some lost, recently re-tooled '60s garage-psych-rock legend. In the end there's not an ounce of the Strokes' latent pop culture self-consciousness in the Kings' intoxicating sonic haze--just the restless, often bittersweet noise of one of the most original bands to hail from Dixie since R.E.M. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Bad hairdos, excellent band
Occasionally the critical buzz surrounding a band's big-time debut turns out to be more than justified, and I'm pleased to report that "Youth & Young Manhood" is one such release. It's rare for music this direct and free of embellishment to leave such an impression, but Kings of Leon pull off the trick quite easily because they manage to combine an abundance of emotion and songcraft with a complete lack of pretension. In fact, while Kings of Leon have somehow managed to draw some comparisons with the Strokes, the Strokes could take a few lessons from these guys. Instead of retro urban cool, the Kings offer a booze-fuelled good time, equal parts rootsy and rocking, that should have plenty of appeal for rock fans seeking a legitimate alternative to the prevailing trends of the day.

While I didn't hear any echoes of the Strokes here, that's not to say these guys don't remind me of anyone else, but you have to reach back a little further in rock history to find some parallels. If anything, their occasionally incendiary, slapped-together, southern-accented sound makes me think of the Replacements or Dinosaur Jr. cross-bred with Creedence Clearwater Revival. The Kings specialize in uptempo rockers filled with screaming guitars and hard-driving rhythms, topped off by the garbled drawl of singer Caleb Followill. Showing a grasp of dynamics to rival the mighty Pixies, the songs often pick up steam early on before shifting into overdrive for some of the most insanely catchy choruses in recent memory. And the guitar solos are models of efficiency, accomplishing more in a few seconds than you might think possible.

Although "Youth & Young Manhood" isn't among the most original albums I've heard (of course, it's important to note that these guys are only in their early 20's), it still gets a high recommendation from me for sheer enjoyment, which is something that seems to be in increasingly short supply these days. In fact, there isn't one track here that fails to impress. The best song, "Joe's Head," is propelled at its outset by a pounding bassline that's sure to get your head bobbing before some crazed riffage breaks out and Caleb starts spitting forth lyrics machine-gun style. There are plenty of other classics in a similar vein, from the raucous "Red Morning Light" to the swaggering "Molly's Chambers" to the dirty, bluesy "Holy Roller Novocaine." And the guys also slow things down for their own versions of ballads with the slow, twangy "Trani" and "Dusty," which are all lazy charm and no wasted moments.

In the end, "Youth & Young Manhood" serves as a resounding confirmation of what a solid, no b.s. rock album can achieve. I'm typically a little wary of bands that get a big buildup in the press while they're still young enough to get carded buying cigarettes, but Kings of Leon deserve all the praise they get. Hopefully, they'll remain a source of good music for a long time to come.

It was only a matter of time
Kings of leon are a southern band who play country and
blues style rock 'n roll with punk overtones. You've
probably heard about their background already so I won't
get into that. The LPs opener, Talahina Sky, is a slow
bluesy tune, but after that comes the fantastic Red Morning
Light, a fast more punky tune. The albums tone changes
but still it all gels together. California Waitin' edges
towards The Strokes, Mollys Chambers is the most poppyish
they get but its still great of course, Joe's Head (the
highlight for me) would make Bob Dylan proud and then there
are plenty more upbeat rawkers like Wasted Time, Happy Alone
and Holy Roller Novocaine. If you're into the whole 'garage scene'you'll probably like it but remember its best for true
rock 'n roll fans. A great record.

All Hail Kings of Leon
I disagree with the reviewer from Colorado who gave this band one star. Like that reviewer, I too saw Kings of Leon open for U2 last week, and they were amazing. Their music is dizzying, exhilarating, and sometimes even heartbreaking. After the U2 concert, I bought KOL's recent "Aha Shake Heartbreak" and 2003's "Holy Roller Novocaine" (which features several of the songs on "Youth and Young Manhood"). I have been listening to both albums nonstop. This band perfectly embodies the crazy, anarchic, Dada spirit of rock that makes it worth listening to in the first place. They the real deal. Wait and see...