THE latest rough-edged American band to be garlanded with ludicrous amounts of hype, Kings Of Leon are a band of brothers (and a cousin) from the Deep South.

They come complete with a suitably Southern Gothic biography about growing up in poverty-stricken redneck country in the back of their alcoholic preacherman father's car (but inexplicably having access to loads of expensive vintage equipment and the fast track to the heart of the American recording industry... hmm). However unlikely their story, they certainly play like they mean it.

Like The White Stripes, they take a punk-fuelled approach to back-to-basics rock'n'roll, country and blues - produced here by Ryan Adams's sidekick Ethan Johns.

Their riotous energy, blazing guitar breaks and singer Caleb Followill's deranged drawl bring to mind The Stooges, if they'd all been called Cletus and married their cousins, or The Strokes' slightly-disturbing redneck relatives.

Dustbowl boogie such as Happy Alone and Holy Roller Novocaine invites, but inevitably pales alongside, comparisons with Captain Beefheart, early Nick Cave and the more raucous end of Adams' own work.

Maybe a gimmick, certainly over hyped, but there's enough substance to this band to keep them on the stereo of your pickup truck this summer.

Updated: 12:10 Thursday, July 17, 2003