The Kooks
Posted on 04/18/2008
Sophomore slumps aren't just reserved for artists who drop outstanding debuts. There are also the above-average bands like The Kooks that release a fun album like
Inside In/Outside Out, only to lose the magic on their follow-up,
Konk. While it follows many of the same formulas on the British quartet's debut, there's a lot less sincerity and too much fluff.
Inside In/Outside Out is full of those floaty pop songs that seem crafted for shows like the "The Hills" and any other show I'm embarrassed to know the name of. What made the album stand out, though, were the band's nearly inaudible lyrics and catchy guitar jingles. The guys were having fun and not taking themselves too seriously. The 14 tracks did tend to blend together and much of subject matter was the same, but the Brit-pop melodies and vocals made the debut enjoyable.
So why fix what isn't broken, right? Right? In this case, the answer is "wrong." While Konk feels like Inside In/Outside Out's bastard child, it is and it isn't. The subject matter (songs about girls and love) is definitely there. The same goes for the sometimes-indiscernible vocals. But nothing is as initially and undeniably grabbing as hits like "Naïve," "You Don't Love Me," or "Ooh La."
The band flirts with heavier guitars but never gets past Weezer's post-Pinkerton sound. The case in point is "Always Where I Need To Be," Konk's lead single. The "do-do-do"-riddled chorus is catchy at first, though the handclaps are a bit much. Many of the other tracks just seem like regurgitated Brit-pop singles you have heard before. The same goes for the very Franz Ferdinand-like "Do You Wanna."
For all the missteps these British lads make, one thing is for sure, they can write catchy records. What they lack in musical merit, they make up for in power-pop choruses and toe-tapping beats. Konk might not be a strong follow-up to Inside In/Outside Out, but it's at least worth a listen.
- Andrew Martin
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