Kings of Leon’s debut LP, Youth and Young Manhood, is the Southern equivalent of the Strokes’ Is This It-a fantastic, fast-paced first attempt. The group takes all of the essential elements of garage-punk revival and pours Southern rock all over them.
This masterful debut starts off with a bang and doesn’t slow down. It’s full of catchy Southern riffs and drumbeats.
The band touts its Southern heritage and rebels against contemporary Southern music at the same time. Lead vocalist Caleb Followill shines on the album, screaming slurred lyrics in a Southern drawl that would make Ronnie Van Zant proud.
Kings of Leon is made up of four Followills-three brothers and one cousin. They grew up traveling between Memphis and Arkansas. The oldest of the boys is 23, the youngest 16. They’re the products of a Pentecostal revival preacher, and it shows on Youth and Young Manhood.
The lyrics aren’t sophisticated, but they convey a sense of underlying intelligence and confidence. “Spiral Staircase” sees Caleb screaming “Spiral staircase going down/paint your body red and brown” over punkish guitar riffs.
The first three tracks of the album are light-hearted, fast guitar shredders. “Joe’s Head,” the third track on the album, further shows some of the aloofness of The Strokes (currently on tour with the band) while maintaining the seriousness of the musicians’ talent.
“Trani” and “California Waiting” mark a transition on the album and let Caleb show some of the emotion he’s capable of.
And what album would be complete without sexual innuendos? On “Molly’s Chambers,” Caleb sings, “You want it, she’s got it/Molly’s chambers gonna change your mind,” leaving the listener to wonder just what exactly is in Molly’s chambers.
All in all, the album is a great debut from a talented band. Any Mississippi State student who loves The Strokes, the White Stripes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs but longs for a good Southern garage-punk band can find it with the Kings of Leon.