Customer Reviews
The best album in the last 10 years - By: Elliot L. Tait, 25 Sep 2008 
When Q magazine asked Noel galllager what band he was looking out for at T in the park years ago he said, "kings of leon, They are my new favourite band". I imediately bought the album when it came out (alongside the darkness's permission to land....cough) He wasn't wrong. Youth & young manhood was blindingly brilliant.
Lyiricaly the songs are brilliantly smutty yet you reallly have to be looking for the sexual reference. Thats reallly what the album is about. Being young & desperate to have it off with ladies.
But musicaly "Molly's chamber, wasted time & Holy roller novacaine" are simpy outstanding! There is not a bad song on this album I know people say that a lot but i can't stress this enough its faultless. The muffled overexited rambings of caleb singing is sometimes difficult to understand but i think that adds to the fun...."What did he just say?" ect. But "Joe's head".....WHAT a song oh dear....Oh its just an amazing piece of work musicallly & liricallly its so vivid & a great story.
So yeah they do take a wee bit of influnce from the Eagles, zepplin & CCR it can't be denyed that when YAYM goes into the stereo you it sounds like it should be on vinal.
The fact that they are so fantasticallly wierd & completley Nuts makes this a real masterpiece. I reallly don't think an album since has come close since.
LONG LIVE THE KINGS.!!
Brilliant - By: A. Mills, 27 Apr 2008 I was quite slow on the uptake with KOL, I only bought this album a year ago but it remains possibly one of my favourite albums & is rarely far from my CD player. I've never once got bored of it & can sit through the entire album without skipping a single track. Happy Alone, Molly's Chambers & California Waiting are possibly the best on the album. Can't wait to see them for the first time in Glastonbury! Utter brilliance.
Excellent Stuff - By: S. Bradnam, 25 Aug 2007 I love it...not in an instant, first hearing way, but in a play it a few times & watch the sensation of "This is REALLY good" creep up on you.....I have been re-listening to this lately, & it is ageing well!
Basic, clever, loud, furious & masterful. Highly recommended - one of my top 20 albums. Excellent.
Great album - By: Darkmaster, 06 Aug 2007 
I got this because I heard Red Morning Light on FIFA 04. It is a great album although sometimes I do get a bit bored with it. But it is worthy of 4 stars & I would recommend this to anyone who likes good music.
Long live the Kings! - By: B. Parker, 22 May 2007 I heard two tracks from this album as I was walking through an HMV store, & it was so good I had to buy it there & then. And boy am I glad I did - Youth & Young Manhood is about as fine a debut album as I have ever heard.
It is a great mix of hard-rock meets Southern country, with a dash of boogie thrown in, to create a refreshing, unique sound.
Right from the opening riffs of "Red Morning Light" I was blown away by the energy & enthusiasm of the Followill clan. Full of catchy riffs, sharp solos & great drumming (with plenty of cowbell from Nathan!) - not to mention Caleb's trademark scratchy, twangy Southern vocals (admittedly almost indecipherable at times!) - this is a powerful statement of pure energy from a young & talented band who are saying out loud to the music world "The Kings are here - & you'd better believe it!"
What is also impressive is the consistency of the tracks. Now & then you come across an album where there's not a bad track to be found (eg. Gun's n' Roses "Appetite for Destruction" or Alanis Morrisette's "Jagged Little Pill"). YAYM can certainly be added to the list. The opening track, "Red Morning Light" sets the tone for the rest of the album, with the pace & energy maintained through the next three tracks (check out the superb lyrics in "Joe's Head" & "Happy Alone"). "Trani" can be a hard track to like, what with Caleb's screaming & alll, but it's a good contrast to the rest as the pace is slower & the feel is more moody. Solid tracks continue through to the end, stand-outs being "Spiral Staircase" (my favourite song on the album),"California Waiting" & "Genius".
And despite the reputation that they quickly gained as hard-drinking & hard-partying, their live performances are top-notch too. They obviously are committed enough to put every effort in to recreating their studio sound. And this they can certainly do.
If the KOL were hoping to impress with their first album, they certainly succeeded. This album is simply terrific. And due to the appeal that their sound has to so many people, they'll be around for a long time to come.
