Every now and then a band comes along that glistens. With a standout vocalist, crafted songs and fresh-faced youthfulness, The Kooks shine. While they haven’t delivered the kick ass single that most labels hope for, they have created a solid LP full of toe tappin’ rock-pop numbers, together with slickly designed packaging that smells of success, pro-management and longevity. Having filled support slots for the likes of The Thrills and currently playing various impressive festivals, The Kooks are already writing their own stellar biography.
Opening with a short acoustic number (‘Seaside’) highlighting Pritchard’s rich, classic Brit voice, their debut quickly fires up a notch with the energetic ‘See the world’, screaming with pumping drums and amped guitars. ‘Sofa song’ shows their musical maturity and nous with melody, while numbers such as ‘Jackie big tits’ and ‘Eddie’s gun’, a track about erectile dysfunction, show their youthfulness and humour. Ska, jazz, funk and punk have helped weave this stylish English rock tapestry into an LP I believe will be the envy of many.
Danny Karni