Monday 24 March 2014

The Kooks - Down


Was a comeback from the Kooks really necessary?

Down is the Brighton band’s first release since 2011’s ‘Junk of the Heart’ that failed to provide any decent singles and should have seen the band disappear into obscurity.

Instead, they’ve returned with this new release complete with a total change of sound.  It begins with a bizarre, nonsensical vocal introduction from Luke Pritchard before plunging into a funk/hip-hop inspired mess.  Hand clap beats, a smattering of guitars, bizarre sexual lyrics, a semi-spoken vocal delivery that's forced and contrived, and an excruciatingly infuriating chorus riff seemingly inspired by Blackstreet’s classic No Diggity

Mostly this is the sound of cold-sweats and desperation, of a band who after a three year hiatus are clawing their way back into the public conscious by following rather than setting trends.  The band’s debut ‘Inside In/Inside Out’ was part of a huge British indie revival in the early 00’s; by comparison Down is a revival that nobody should have to witness.

Will anybody buy this?  Does anybody care?

1/5

Listen: Down will feature on the band’s forthcoming EP of the same name, released on 20th April.