The Kooks - Junk of the Heart

"Let's get this one out of the way", I sighed, as I opened the tab and begun this review. The Kooks have got a lot of flak over the years for "sound[ing] like they're rolling over and begging Radio 1 to fuck them" (Johnny Borrell), and to be fair they've never really been anything above foot-tappingly pleasant to me. Though I can't help but feel aggrieved by the amount of hate they get - an amount only really worthy of bestowing upon Scouting For Girls - when they've coined some rather great songs (She Moves In Her Own Way, Naïve, Always Where I Need to Be). So perhaps it's because I have a long queue of comparatively more interesting artists to review that I greet this, their third LP, with little more than fatigue.

It certainly begins as all of their material tends to: 'Junk of the Heart (Happy)' is a bright and romantic burst of pop-rock that warms the cockles somewhat, but is far from their catchiest efforts. They meander through the album with repetitive choruses ('How'd You Like That'), clap-along rhythms ('Rosie') and inoffensive rhymes ("I run awaaaaay with my imaginaaaaation", 'Taking Pictures of You').


But even in the moments where they dare to shock - with the song title 'Fuck the World Off' - they come off as underwhelming. I'm also fairly sure that "Let me fuck the world off for you" isn't a romantic gesture, and perhaps not even a coherent one. A brief shimmer of strings and other-worldly bliss is seen then in 'Time Above the Earth' which is too vague and fleeting to really strike anything beautiful across, but shows potential. There then comes a slight genre-fusion in 'Runaway', blending Britpop conventions with a modern drum structure - and it's far and away the most interesting track on display.

Single 'Is It Me' returns the band to their safe territory though, almost sounding like a parody of themselves, but retaining their ability to bash out a good tune. If you were ever wondering what Nirvana might sound like if covered by Toto then 'Killing Me' gives perhaps the closest idea to that we'll ever see - an unusual but somehow fascinating blend of 80s alternative-pop synths and indie strums. Sadly though the band fail to resist treading the same lines; 'Petulia' is a folksy breeze that neither chills nor warms, instead fails to make an impact.

There's also the nagging feeling that the cheery nature of 'Eskimo Kiss' is quite dated, sounding like a very late entry to the Gavin and Stacey soundtrack. That's not to say the track isn't lovely and chirpy, but it just doesn't feel relevant any more. Whether that's a good or bad thing I'm unsure, given "relevant" nowadays means either eurodance or dubstep, but the track serves as a handicap for the band and their failure to develop musically. Closer 'Mr. Nice Guy' is small evidence of the contrary, however, with a distortion-heavy stomper that pushes the band to their feasible limit.


All in all: well this was lovely, let's do this again some time. *instantly forgets you*

Rating: 6/10
Highlights: Killing Me, Runaway, Rosie, Junk of the Heart, Is It Me, Mr. Nice Guy
Avoid: Fuck the World Off, Petulia

Artwork Watch: Well that's... I love the way... and it's fascinating how... no I've no idea wtf this all about.