Konk

‘Konk’ was recorded over a six week period at the tail-end of 2007 in Ray Davies’ Konk Studios in north London, plus a week at Los Angeles’ Sound Factory. The sessions once again united the group with esteemed producer Tony Hoffer (Beck/Air/The Fratellis). Explaining how he came to suggest the album title, guitarist Hugh says, ‘I just started thinking how cool the studio is, and how much of a part of our sound it is.’ ‘Konk’ features twelve tracks. There’s ‘Gap’ which is classic Kooks, and ‘Shine On’ which finds Luke exploring hitherto unchartered lyrical territory over the loveliest of melodies. It’s destined to become another lynchpin in The Kooks’ live set. First single ‘Always Where I Need To Be’ is a tumbling rocker with a ‘do-do-do, do-do-do-do’ refrain that might just be the catchiest thing they’ve ever done. ‘Sway’ and ‘Mr Maker’ are other album highlights. .com ---- Konk, the second album from indie pop starlets The Kooks, will appeal to those who enjoyed the catchier, hookier elements of their best-selling debut Inside In/Inside Out. For the band are more "pop" than "indie" this time around, and Konk is an overt attempt at winning even more chart-topping kudos: and it's not a bad attempt at that. Recorded over a six-week period at the end of 2007 (in Ray Davies' Konk Studios in London), the album's first single "Always Where I Need to Be" is as insouciantly catchy as a contemporary rock band can get, while tracks like opener "See the Sun," and "Mr. Maker", with its infectious hand claps, are equally accessible. There's tougher fare like "Sway", which show the boys can blast it when they want, but the album generally plays it safe, grappling (clumsily in places) with themes of love and sex, and revealing not a great deal of musical or lyrical depth in the process (see "Do You Wanna"). The album runs out of steam towards the end, and though fans of their earlier material will love it, fussier indie fans will probably point their ears towards something less contrived. --Danny McKenna

undefined