The Kooks [no longer playing]

Sadly, just saw an announcement that one of the band members jacked his back and they are cancelling their entire tour, including ACL Fest.  No more Kooks.  Of course, all the nutters on Instagram and demanding that shit like Post Malone replace them.  Kind of bummed, I liked these guys.

One Liner: Brit indie rock like a less popular Arctic Monkeys

Wikipedia Genre: Indie rock, post-punk revival, Britpop, alternative rock
Home: Portsmouth, England

Poster Position: 8

Weekend One Only.

Thoughts:  Had never heard of these cats before, which is kind of surprising, because they fit right up my alley for the most part.  Sort of Arctic Monkeys, sort of Franz Ferdinand, kinda Strokes-ish, and sort of their own weird level of Brit rock indie.  Tons of sing-a-long, catchy hooks and choruses.

Three of the members (they've been through a handful of additions and subtractions over time) met in school - the BRIT School - which was also a stopping point for folks like Adele, Amy Winehouse, and Spiderman Tom Holland.  Their name comes from a David Bowie track of the same name, and their first song they ever played together was a Strokes cover.  They signed a major label deal after having been together for like 8 minutes, which was apparently a little difficult on them at the time.

Five albums, starting with 2006's Inside In/ Inside Out.  The album was released on the same day as the Arctic Monkeys' debut, so the initial reaction was muted.  Vocalist Luke Pritchard said "God bless the Arctic Monkeys because if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have been so shielded. We were so overshadowed by the success [of Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not] because it was so monster and we crept in behind everybody's back."  Ooooh shit, Wikipedia quotes a brutal review from Rolling Stone:

Calling the Kooks "an important reminder that there are just as many mediocre bands in the UK as there are in the United States" reviewer Jenny Eliscu of Rolling Stone claimed the album was "utterly forgettable, shoddily produced retro rock that at its worst sounds like a Brighton-accented version of the Spin Doctors".  

Criminy.  I wouldn't go anywhere near that harsh - its fine, fun, jangly rock.  By the way, I love that Rolling Stone used to actually pan the shit out of albums.  All of their reviews are so milquetoast now.  I bet they haven't handed out a one star review to anything in years, or if they do, its something where they only hand it off to a very safe thing, like saying that the new Milli Vanilli is bad.  They'd never call out a first album like this anymore.

A few tracks were obviously hits, by their play counts, but some are still in the 3 million streams zone even after more than a decade.  The top track, with 251 million streams, is "Naive."

Can barely understand the lyrics through that accent, but its a fun little jaunt of a tune.  Another 59 million views of that video.  And man, they really do look like children.  Album was eventually certified 5x platinum in the UK, but didn't even crack the US Billboard Top 100.

Next, 2008's Konk, named after the studio where they recorded their albums.  The reviews still weren't stellar, but the sound is generally the same - jangly pop-rock guitar songs.  Several things I have read say they are emulating the Kinks on this album, but that isn't really a reference I get, beyond knowing what "You Really Got Me" sounds like mainly through the fingertips of Eddie Van Halen.  I guess that jangly tone in the guitar I keep mentioning is found in those classic rock tunes as well?  Anyway, this album didn't sell nearly as well, and the top track has just over 40 million streams.  This is "Always Where I Need to Be."

I mean, so what if it sounds like something else, that song is a good time.  I'm not trying to name them the next Beatles or anything, but I can see jamming and pogoing around to that tune in a crowd and enjoying myself.  I get that none of these songs are lyrically stimulating - but take "Do You Wanna," which is a very good time despite the fact that the lyrics just baldly ask if you wanna make love to me.  It's not poetry, but its still a groove.

2011's Junk of the Heart was made as the band was losing and then re-gaining and then re-losing their drummer due to nerve problems in his arm.  Its a forgettable album for me.  Even after several tries with it, I can't recall anything that stands out, just more pleasantly rockin' stuff.  The playcount of the album definitely reflects the same attitude, as the opening track has 80 million streams, and the rest of the songs' stream counts added together don't make it near 80 mill.  Yawn.  

Of interest, and maybe only to me, Pitchfork only reviewed their first two albums, and then quit even looking at them.  Metacritic still collects all of the reviews from different sources, and there is a definite trend to those numbers - 73 for the first album, 65 for the second, then 54 (then 60 and 59 for the last two).  The initial blitz was the good stuff.  This is the drowning man clawing on the side of the pila he jumped into to beat the heat, hoping he can gain a fingerhold in the slick algae clinging to the walls.

2014's Listen is all over the place.  "See Me Now" sounds like one of Weezer's new-school, treacly piano ballads.  "Down" sounds like Jack White joined up with Questlove to create a funky track (but ended up with something very generic).  The album is much shinier, less guitar driven, more synth and other weird sound-forward.  Naw.

Finally, 2018's Let's Go Sunshine, where they gamely try to go back to the successes of the past and leave the weird hip-hoppiness of Listen in the past.  It sounds fine - generically pleasant indie rock music.  "No Pressure" has the most streams, and being that it is the last song on the album, that feels like a legit vote for the song.  7.8 million streams.

Pretty tune - light touch and sweet lyrics.  I'm ready to sing along about just having a good time and how there is no need to apply pressure.  Overall, this album is good.  Nothing great, but good tunes.

Uneven catalog, not much excitement from critics, even for their most recent disc.  But depending on the lineup, I'd probably go check them out.  I like rock and roll.  Even if it is formulaic and a lesser version of what several other bands have done, I'd still try it out.