Kings of Leon September 21, 2007

The Kings of Leon picks up where Molly Hatchet and Lynyrd Skynyrd left off and adds a dash of modern rock 'n' roll to keep things from sounding too dated. While the band, a trio of brothers plus a cousin, exhibits a love for loud and dirty rock 'n' roll that made Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama' a radio hit, there's more than long hair and confederate dreams in its music. With a keen ear for gooey pop melodies that hints at a closet love for '60s and '70s pop, the Kings may woo the fans of typical alt-rock balladry as well. The heart of the band, which borrows its "Leon" moniker from its father and grandfather's first names, still beats for the south. Sitting somewhere between the Black Crowes and the power-pop revisionism of Arlo, the Kings of Leon's Southern rock revival may help shepherd the sound into the new century. This tightly knit trio embraces sweeping, melodic, emotional territory similar to seminal artists Death Cab For Cutie, the Weakerthans and Pedro The Lion. This alt-rock band's founders, San Francisco natives Robert Turner and Peter Hayes, forged a camaraderie based on their mutual love of '90s U.K. bands and ultimately formed a band whose name is based on the Marlon Brando-led biker gang from 'The Wild One.'