Kooks with no Hooks3 Out Of 5 Stars
The third Kooks album is showing the signs of slippage. The debut flew in with the flock that included buzz bands like Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs and others with a smart and punchy rock album in the classic sense of The Kinks or even Oasis. The second album, "Konk," played up The Kinks connection even more, with punchier songs and snappy lyrics. I was really hoping for continued progression with "Junk of The Heart," however, the songs are retracting their claws.
"Junk Of The Heart" is a softer, sweeter Kooks. The songs are breezier and weirdly inoffensive, given song titles like "Eff The World Off" or "No More Mr Nice Guy." Now, both the title track/lead single and the clever "Eskimo Kiss" maintain that Kinksian air about them, while the strings that saturate "Time Above The Earth" are a first for the band, just before leading into the Police-influenced "Runaway." The rest of the songs often feel unfinished or weightless. Lead singer Luke Prichard still has appeal, and I am hoping "Junk of The Heart" is just a blip.
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