Youth & Young Manhood

by

Kings of Leon

Edit

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.

Before I get too far, I'll say that the CD is not bad at all. Good not great. Now I must say that I don't get the "southern rock" tag at all. Maybe they want to emphasize the "southern" part to separate them from bands like The Strokes. But don't expect to hear anything southern (maybe "Joe's Head" and "Trani", and the bluesy "Dusty" ?). To me, southern rock has some element of twang, especially in the vocals. It's absent here.

It sounds a lot like early '70s glam such as T. Rex, Lou Reed, Stooges-lite, Bowie (most vocals are like an aggressive Bowie, and as other reviewers have noted, aren't for everyone)and also sounds a bit like late '70s/early '80s new wave/punk.

Check out the Drive-by Truckers if you are looking for contemporary southern rock.