Sauntering back onto our airwaves after releasing their last album, Junk of the Heart, in 2011, The Kooks’ upcoming release Listen has taken a completely different approach to – well, everything. The fourth studio release comes across not as a frantic follow up to previous endeavours, but an outlet of purely experimental expression.
Fast-tracked into international rock limelight in 2006 by the popularity of their debut album Inside In, Inside Out, The Kooks have been successfully upholding their reputation over the past few years as key figures in Britain’s indie rock scene. Previous albums Konk and Junk of the Heart both showed changes in their approach to music, moving from electric guitar-fuelled tunes to an intricate mix of uplifting and languid tracks, but these subtleties are nothing in comparison with curveball that is 2014’s Listen.
Vocalist Luke Pritchard has teamed up with up-and-coming European producer Inflo on the production side of things, taking a leap into their previously uncharted territory of R&B and synth-pop, overflowing with a mishmash of soulful rhythms, infectious grooves and a whole load of funk.
Right from the beginning, Listen is a whirlwind adventure into the minds of these musicians: dragging you through softer ballads, upbeat pop regurgitations and soaring synth sensations. This delicious new combination of genres is light years away from their early covers of The Strokes and small pub gigs in Brighton.
If you were expecting something along the lines of indie favourite ‘Naïve’, the choral refrains and tumbling drums of epic opening track ‘Around Town’ will quickly shake you out of your stupor. Although ‘It Was London’ and ‘Dreams’ are a comforting blanket of familiarity with their choppy guitar basis, they are overpowered by first-released single ‘Down’ and the sultry, dark bass line and piano wanderings of the extensive ‘Sweet Emotion’.
If you go into this album with a pre-existing idea of The Kooks’ music, you’ll be disappointed. If you go into this album knowing nothing whatsoever of their previous endeavours, you’ll probably be very confused. Instead, go into this album with an open mind: you might be lucky enough to find a gem hidden beneath its shiny-new-toy exterior. Here are some of the things we learnt while exploring Listen.
The Kooks Have An Infinite Number Of Band Members
With the confronting number of additional synth melodies, choral refrains and oddly-placed electronic notes scattered throughout this album, at times it’s hard to believe that this is the latest release from alt-rock darlings The Kooks, not another run-of-the-mill pop band. Their setup still follows the classic formula of a rock band, with Pritchard on vocals, Hugh Harris on guitar, Peter Denton on bass and Alexis Nunez rounding it all up with drums – but somewhere along the production line, a whole lot more has been incorporated.
So, where did all this come from? Co-produced by Inflo, the external influences on this album are prominent throughout. No longer based solely on a powerhouse guitar part, the tracks on this album are so layered with sound that it’s hard to take it all in.
A hook from ‘It Was London’ croons softly: ‘Who are you?’, summing up everyone’s feelings at this point. Who are you now, Kooks? And how are you going to perform these tracks live? The intricacy of most of these songs would be difficult to replicate, due to the sheer abundance of sound layers. That’s a gig which could be incredible – or very disappointing.
Experimentation Doesn’t Always Lead To Success
The jury is still out on whether or not the surplus of experimentation on this album has been a success. The British four-piece have thrown themselves into creating an album in their own way, not in the interests of listeners. Is their new pop-friendly sound a faint reminder that they’re selling out, or is it a chance for The Kooks to re-establish themselves as artists who create what they want, regardless of looming expectations?
Also – is too much really too much? Each song is impeccably produced and layered with a plethora of sound effects and vocal harmonies, but the surplus of listening material is conducive to missing the point of the song. Even the infectious, groove of recent single ‘Forgive and Forget’ masks yet another love song from these boys, disguised by a ridiculously catchy and upbeat chorus.
Cohesiveness Is Not A Necessary Element In Creating A Good Album
No longer bound within the genre of ‘indie-rock’, the term ‘alternative’ (thanks iTunes) is probably the closest you can get to describing this album without sounding desperate: think future-funk, mod-indie-RnB…
Each track is killer in its own right, but there’s barely any relation between them. But when you think about it – how many iconic albums with amazing transitions between songs actually produced an incredible collection of tracks, all of which could easily be released as singles?
Although each track differs from the next in just about every aspect, the synth-driven, feel-good ‘Are We Electric’ could be the next single just as easily as the upbeat and stylistically different first single ‘Down’. Released earlier this year, ‘Down’ was subject to a torrent of shock, insults and abuse by die-hard fans eager for a remake of Inside In, Inside Out; but it was also softly peppered with praise and slow-clapped by critics, as they speculated about the changing genre direction of The Kooks.
Ranging from a couple of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it riffs, to being the main focus of the song, guitar lines definitely aren’t the linking factor of this album. Apart from heavy-influenced RnB drums sneaking their way into most tracks, it’s really only Pritchard’s recognisable vocals which prove that these songs are, in fact, by the same band.
Despite a lack of fluidity, there’s something about this album which begs to be listened to. It’s not iconic or full of unforgettable anthems, but somehow Listen’s varied nature lends itself to being strangely alluring.
It’s Different, But Still Ultimately The Same
Despite the substantial shift in genres, you can still hear an echo of the same old Kooks under the new pop guise of each song. More prominent in the brooding hum of ‘Dreams’ and refreshing, Konk-esque ‘Westside’ (disregarding the somewhat unwelcomed synth jabs), the catchy guitar loops that initially dragged these budding musicians into the spotlight are keeping them there.
The differences between this genre-jumping twist of an album and their tentative, soul-drenched debut are notable, but upon further listening, you can hear that at heart, The Kooks haven’t changed at all – their approach to making music has changed. The same yearning, emotional lyricism which made us fall in love with them in the first place is still alive and well, just hidden behind their fancy new exterior. ‘She’s the woman that’s on my mind’ croons Pritchard softly in closing track ‘Sweet Emotion’, and you almost wonder if this wasn’t a dropped song from one of their releases last decade.
The Kooks Have A Secret Love Of Pop Hits
Maybe this isn’t true, but it sure seems that way with songs like ‘Are We Electric’. The sudden vocal octave changes, preppy jumble of samples, and uninspiring lyrics all point to this conclusion. The only part of this song which sounds anything like The Kooks we know is the vocals, as drums and guitars reluctantly give way to overpowering electronic vibes. Maybe it’s just Pritchard who loves the spotlight that pop music generously throws over everything, or maybe the rest of the band don’t actually care that you can barely hear their parts over the fabricated fuzz of synths…
You Can’t Judge A Song By Its Intro
Opening with an ominous four-note vocal loop, ‘Bad Habit’ emits the kind of vibe that should eventuate into a dark and twisted ballad, but suddenly building drums and gritty guitar riffs appear and the listening experience is altered completely. ‘See Me Now’, is a heartfelt piano-tune-turned-80s-rock tribute; a lingering, refreshing break from the frantic melting-pot of genres present in the tracks surrounding it. ‘Sunrise’ initially sounds like something out of central Africa, before giving way to a bizarre melange of guitars and copious amounts of percussion. Interpret as you will.
Each time you think you’ve finally figured out The Kooks’ new direction, a lick of guitar or unexpected splash of piano keys will knock you back off the tracks.
Finally: The Album Title Says It All
It’s difficult to form a definitive opinion on this album due to its unpredictable nature. The only way is to follow the command of the album title: Listen. A perfectly chosen title, it begs the listener to do precisely that: to sit back and enjoy this swing in a completely new direction for The Kooks. According to Pritchard, even the creation of the album was centred on listening and picking up ideas, instead of simply layering vocals over some interesting guitar riffs.
The title really does say it all. It’s an encouragement for potential new listeners. It’s a defensive stance against those who want the ‘old Kooks’ back. It’s a clever way of bringing a certain level of curiosity to everyone.
There’s only one thing left for you to do now: Listen.
Listen is out September 5th via EMI
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