I’ll be the first to admit that the Kooks have never been a band who’ve done a great deal for me.  They’ve always seemed somewhat symptomatic of fairly docile, unimaginative generic 21st century British indie.  But the band’s 3rd release, Junk of the Heart, makes their 2006 debut seem like a pioneering, groundbreaking musical masterpiece.

The opening title track sets a precedent for the rest of the album. It does neither one thing nor the other. It’s too poppy to have any real bite to it, but it’s not catchy enough to be considered good pop music.

Essentially, the majority of Junk of the Heart is content to meander along in an uninspiring, middle of the road sort of way.  There’s little that stands out, and Luke Pritchard’s whiney, nasal vocals are pretty irksome, more so than normal due to the lack of anything else that’s distinctive about the release. Most tracks range from uninspired, plodding guitar pop (Rosie, Taking Pictures of You), to pappy ballads with some pretty cringeworthy lyrics (Petulia, Killing Me)

The standout track is undoubtedly Is it me, an effort that is at least somewhat memorable and catchy with a little bit of energy and enthusiasm about it. The jangly guitars, combined with 80s electro pop style melodies and hooks, are a great combination, but unfortunately it proves to be the exception to the rule.  There are a couple of moments that produce a minor flash point, such as the bleeping synth arpeggios and clicking electronic beats that weave their way through Runaway, but it ultimately descends into a fairly banal effort.

Whatever you want to say about the Kooks, they did used to have a niche of sorts – a childlike angst combined with a bit of swagger and the odd memorable tune that appealed to the younger generations of indie fans. With this release it is quite difficult to work out what they’re aiming for and exactly who they’re trying to appeal to.  As someone who has always been ambivalent to the Kooks, I would still much rather listen to their earlier releases than Junk of the Heart.  So for genuine fans of the band’s previous work, they will almost certainly be left extremely underwhelmed and disappointed.

Our Rating
3/10