Youth & Young Manhood

1	Red Morning Light 3:00
2	Happy Alone 3:59
3	Wasted Time 2:46
4	Joe's Head 3:21
5	Trani 5:00
6	California Waiting 3:28
7	Spiral Staircase 2:55
8	Molly's Chambers 2:15
9	Genius 2:48
10	Dusty 4:21
11	Holy Roller Novocaine 12:08

Barnes & Noble

Well-schooled in rock 'n' roll's traditional battle between good and evil, these honest-to-goodness sons (and nephew) of a preacher man are steeped in Southern tradition on both ends of that spectrum. The Kings specialize in old-school boogie -- the kind of stuff that'll conjure up images of Black Oak Arkansas at their greasiest, particularly on "Dusty" and "Red Morning Light" -- but it's not as if they've just emerged from a time capsule. Frontman Caleb Followill exudes an easygoing vibe, his low-slung voice alternately suggesting whiskey-fueled sexuality ("Molly's Chambers") and morning-after regret (the piano-tweaked "Trani"). Brother Matthew Followill's arcing guitar lines, on the other hand, split the difference between Allmans-styled grace ("California Waiting") and hellhound-on-his-tail slash-and-burn (the woozy "Spiral Staircase"). While sonically less primitive than new-rock kindred spirits such as the White Stripes and the Hives, Kings of Leon are every bit as rooted in the primordial ooze of rock's origins -- and every bit as capable of beckoning listeners to get down 'n' dirty as well. David Sprague

All Music Guide

The Kings of Leon are the sons of a preacher and their debut album, Youth and Young Manhood, is their hymnal of rock & roll redemption. The brothers (and one cousin) Followill work with producer Ethan Johns for a rattling country-rock hootenanny, basically reviving the deep-fried Southern rock found on the band's first EP, Holy Roller Novocaine. Four of the five cuts featured in that set are included for a second time and they're nicely seeded in all their honky tonk rowdiness among the band's seven brand new tracks. Launching things off is the swanky "Red Morning Light." Guitarist Matthew Followill immediately establishes himself as a skilled musician, complementing his brother Caleb's coarse-grained drawl. "Joe's Head" is the closest the band comes to sounding like Tom Petty and Gregg Allman. "Spiral Staircase" finds Caleb causing trouble Bon Scott-style, while the band hints at some shenanigan-like behavior with some psychedelic pop. Youth and Young Manhood isn't sonically adventurous, but in the new-millennium pop realm, some greasy licks sure sound good. MacKenzie Wilson

Rolling Stone

The thrill is in the groove. Greg Kot

Blender

[The Kings'] debut throbs like the Strokes with cross-eyed parents, their songs gritty and economical, their drummer nasty in all the best places. RJ Smith