Young, Dumb, and Full of Beer

What would you get if Gordon Gano was best friends with Tom Petty and lived in Alabama? What would appear if booze, Lynyrd Skynyrd, gravelly vocals, and tambourines were spliced together in a rock and roll Petri dish? The eclectic sound of the Kings of Leon, of course.Their vocals are oddly reminiscent of whiny whisky-fueled Bob Dylan sing a-longs, the instrumentals of a 1970’s block party, and some of the album even pushes the more Indie and grunge-rock sounds of groups like Sonic Youth. For example, “California Waiting” is almost synonymous with the pop-punk fast-paced works of the Jim Carroll Band.
Youth and Young Manhood is the perfect blend of sloppy, good-times rock and roll. It is all about being young, dumb, and full of cum, which is why the title fits into the fray so well. This album is fun, lively and noisy with simplified drumbeats and Petty-ish guitar riffs, complimented perfectly by the chesty, off-kilter vocals. All you need to enjoy it is a drink and a few good friends out on the town. This album has beer commercial written all over it, and should absolutely be added to the quintessential “party boy’s” collection.