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Kings
of Leon
Youth & Young Manhood
label: RCA
released: 08.19.03
our score: 2.0 out of 5.0
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Sometimes
the taglines Big Entertainment’s marketing teams apply to
bands, in an effort to publicize their own products, skew our
ability to make good decisions. Clearly this is the case with
Kings of Leon latest album Youth & Young Manhood.
The band has been tattooed with the “Southern-fried Strokes”
moniker by the industry’s wittier image makers, but unless
you are trying criticize the Strokes as a band without direction,
the label makes little sense.
Not
from a lack of trying, Youth & Young Manhood falls
flat of lofty expectations with disjointed tracks that seem to
borrow too liberally from greater bands of the past. For a family
band (three brothers and a cousin), there doesn’t seem to
be much chemistry between the individuals. Lead singer Caleb Followill
trips up his kin with a lazy delivery of bumbling lyrics, always
too many syllables than the music allows.
The
poor lyrical delivery is truly a shame because the music delivers
some solid southern and blues-rock stylings. “Wasted Time”
is a great blues-picking medley and, although it at times sounds
like an Allman Brother’s cover song, “Joe’s
Head” is a fun, toe-tapper for sure. To give credit where
it’s due, the bandmates do pull themselves together enough
to deliver some complete tracks such as their current radio-song
“Red Morning Light” and the rockabilly “Genius”.
All
in all, Youth & Young Manhood is a few gems in an
otherwise much-hyped wasteland of raw talent and lazy delivery.
17-Feb-2004
8:55 AM
If you
liked Youth & Young Manhood...
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| Tracklist:
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
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