CD
Review
Kings
of Leon
Youth and Young Manhood
Sons of a preacher man and disciples of punk, the Kings of Leon are
Tennessee boys who rejected their religious roots in favour of sex,
drugs and old-fashioned rock'n'roll. Clinging to their retro influences
with a toddler's tenacity, their debut is a Kerouac-styled, lust-propelled
journey into emergent adulthood.
Using and abusing passionate gospel, country sweetness and filthy
guitar licks, the Kings of Leon are the kind of authentic, hairy rebels
the Rolling Stones longed to be.
Driving, fuzzy rhythms grind under Dylan-esque phrasing, with singer
Caleb Followill's whiskey-woozy voice and good-time attitude never
obscuring his obvious fears.
Above a piercing lead guitar that never strays far from the Chuck
Berry template, he tears into Red Morning Light and makes the White
Stripes sound about as bluesy as Wham!
The energy and enthusiasm never falter: California Waiting is utopian
and desperate, while the hedonism of Joe's Head is almost claustrophobic.
By the time the slightly shambolic singalong of Dusty sweeps over
you, you'll be smitten.
Tahiti
80
Wallpaper for the Soul
Once we are past midsummer, long summer days take on the slight sadness
of knowing that the season is edging to a close. This notion is grasped
perfectly by French quartet Tahiti 80.
Their second album blends Style Council bouncing beats, Isley Brothers
guitar solos, swirling orchestrations (courtesy of the Urban Soul
Orchestra), horns and ever-changing Moogs, together with a childlike
wonderment reminiscent of endless school holidays and jugs of real
lemonade by the beach.
However, submerged beneath the teasing dance invitations of tracks
like 1,000 Times, there is the same tinge of melancholy that makes
the Beach Boys' records so enduring.
Singer and main songwriter Xavier Boyer's vocals are almost disturbingly
wistful, and there is a nagging dread and tension in lines like Get
Yourself Together's "Make things happen while there's still time".
An album for hot afternoons and pensive showery days, the perfect
July-September soundtrack for us weather-ruled Brits.
The
Billboard Top Ten Albums
1. Beyonce, Dangerously In Love
2. Michelle Branch, Hotel Paper
3. Luther Vandross, Dance With My Father
4. Three 6 Mafia, Da Unbreakables
5. Metallica, St. Anger
6. 50 Cent, Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
7. Monica, After The Storm
8. Evanescence, Fallen
9. Norah Jones, Come Away With Me
10. Annie Lennox, Bare Top Ten Independent Albums
Top
Ten Independent Albums
1. Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, Kings Of Crunk
2. Twiztid, The Green Book
3. Mannheim Steamroller/C.W. McCall, American Spirit
4. Various Artists, Vans Warped Tour 2003 Compilation
5. Dwight Yoakam, Population: Me
6. Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, Take A Break
7. Craig Morgan, I Love It
8. Louie DeVito, Louie DeVito's Dance Factory Level
9. Alkaline Trio, Good Mourning
10. Dropkick Murphys, Blackout
Top
Ten R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
1. Ashanti, Chapter II
2. Beyonce, Dangerously In Love
3. Luther Vandross, Dance With My Father
4. Monica, After The Storm
5. Three 6 Mafia, Da Unbreakables
6. 50 Cent, Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
7. Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, Kings Of Crunk
8. R. Kelly, Chocolate Factory
9. Gang Starr, The Ownerz
10. Soundtrack, 2 Fast 2 Furious