| | |  | | Home » Junk of the Heart | | | | | | | Product Promotions: | | | | | Description: | | Written by The Kooks, produced by Tony Hoffer (Beck, Air, Belle & Sebastian), and recorded in The Sound Factory (Los Angeles) and Sarm Studios (London), the band's third album sees them consolidating their position as a bona fide album band with trademark breeziness and catchy hooks. Kicking off with a dramatic breakbeat, the opening track builds across acoustic guitar and warm washes of synth before collapsing into a chorus you'll be singing for days. It shows, that despite the change in their influences, the band still have a firm grasp on how to write killer hooks and pop songs without compare. "It's upbeat; an album to play in the sun" explains frontman Luke Pritchard of the forthcoming 12 song collection, "What we really wanted to do was build a proper, full album. Something you can listen to from front to back. We're an album band and this is a journey you come on with us." | | | Features: | |
• KOOKS THE JUNK OF THE HEART
| | | Product Details: | | | Audio CD Release Date:
| September 13, 2011 | | Studio:
| Astralwerks | | Number Of Discs:
| 1 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 15 reviews |
| | | Track Listing: | | | 1. | Junk Of The Heart (Happy) 3:07 | | 2. | How'd You Like That 3:15 | | 3. | Rosie 3:11 | | 4. | Taking Pictures Of You 2:42 | | 5. | F**k The World Off 2:52 | | 6. | Time Above The Earth 1:54 | | 7. | Runaway 3:00 | | 8. | Is It Me 3:30 | | 9. | Killing Me 3:25 | | 10. | Petulia 2:42 | | 11. | Eskimo Kiss 3:34 | | 12. | Mr. Nice Guy 2:40 | |
| | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 15 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 11 found the following review helpful:
 Same Ol' KooksSep 22, 2011
By J. Loudon
Better known in their home country of England than they are in the United States, The Kooks debut record, "Inside In/Inside Out" was released in October 2006 in the U.S., 10 months after its initial release in the U.K.
With tracks like "Naïve" and "She Moves in Her Own Way" receiving a decent amount of radio play on independent stations across the United States, The Kooks developed a decent following, but did little to set themselves apart from the vast sea of bands with a similar musical formula like Kaiser Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys.
After their second record, 2008's "Konk," was released, The Kooks ended up taking some time off, in part due to the departure of bassist Max Rafferty. Fortunately for The Kooks, this may have been what saved them. Around the same time of The Kooks' hiatus, most of their competition began to deviate from their established successful formulas into more experimental territory.
Kaiser Chiefs began to focus more on danceable beats, Arctic Monkeys teamed up with Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme for a full makeover and seemingly countless British bands followed suit with new, uncharted paths.
While these bands all attempt to regain the fans they lost during their walkabouts, The Kooks have finally returned with an album that does little to separate itself from their past efforts, much to the delight of fans. That is not to say there is nothing new on this record, however.
Splitting the album in half is "Time Above the Earth," a string quartet driven track tied to The Kooks only by lead singer Luke Pritchard's voice. The tune is definitely surprising when hidden in the folds of a generally upbeat rock record, but "Runaway" quickly brings listeners back into familiar territory and "Time Above the Earth" becomes a welcome transition instead of a confusing new direction.
The opening tune, "Junk of the Heart" picks up right where "Konk" left off with a feel-good mix of acoustic and clean electric guitar, light drums, and Luke Pritchard's vocals. Pritchard sounds a bit more like Julian Casablancas of The Strokes on this record thanks to some extra effects added by Tony Hoffer, their longtime producer, but fans of either band will not likely complain.
As "Junk of the Heart" progresses, The Kooks begin to add in little changes here and there to keep things fresh, but the changes are not nearly as jarring as those made by their contemporaries. "Taking Pictures of You" adds in a wave of synths and reversed guitar effects, but the song easily remains radio ready with the acoustic guitar and vocals passing through production unscathed.
Even the album's closer, "Mr. Nice Guy," finds a familiar comfort in Pritchard's voice while the backing instrumentation is given the freedom to wander into the realm of distorted guitars and piano.
In the chorus of the title track, Pritchard sings "I wanna make you happy, I wanna make you feel alive." This could just as easily be a message for fans of The Kooks as it is for the subject of the song. Instead of experimenting with the formula that made them famous, The Kooks embraced it and returned with an album for their fans. "Junk of the Heart" is rarely original, but it is consistently enjoyable. Isn't that why we listen to music?
Similar Artists: The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys
Track Suggestion: "Junk of the Heart"
4 of 5 found the following review helpful:
 Collection of half-formed and indifferently performed tracks.Oct 18, 2011
By Daryl
Some bands were born to reinvent themselves anew with each album, and some were born to plough the same old furrow forever.
The Kooks' problem is that they mistakenly believe they come from the Blur side of that divide, rather than the Oasis.
For "Junk of the Heart", Luke Pritchard deliberately abandoned the collective approach of previous albums, in favour of sketching out songs beforehand on producer Tony Hoffer's laptop.
The result is a series of half-formed, indifferently performed tracks on which even gifted guitarist Hugh Harris struggles to locate the inspired touches that made "Konk" so impressive.
Neither the acoustic plaint "Petulia" nor the string accompaniment to "Time Above the Earth" broadens their reach as much as they'd hope, and among the mostly trivial irritations elsewhere, the positives are fairly meagre, restricted to the bland enthusiasm of the single "Is It Me". A. Gill
Best tracks : "Eskimo Kiss; "Is It Me".
Konk
6 of 8 found the following review helpful:
 Lightweight effort okay tunesNov 21, 2011
By Tankery
"Tankery"
Brit pop has really...well not progressed all that much in the last half-decade. This band was destined to be the best of these bands but a sweet tooth production has this band sounding like the Monkeys (but not the Arctic ones...)from years past. If this is the best collection of songs this band has in their studio then well, their audience of teen chicks will be there for awhile and then go to college. This is a lazy uninspired effort of washed out pop tunes that barely grab you. It's truly amazing how many of these Brit bands take themselves so seriously on their 3rd albums that they all sound so self-consciously bad. The Kooks have better in them.
6 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Lovely, but not the bestSep 15, 2011
By lolable14
The Kooks never fail to deliver. This album is great, but I have to say it's not their best. Some of their songs sound very generic, like some top 40's pop song. However, a lot of them reminds oneself of why we all love the Kooks. All in all, I'll have to say it's a great purchase :)
3 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Kooks with no HooksDec 08, 2011
By Tim Brough
"author and music buff"
The third Kooks album is showing the signs of slippage. The debut flew in with the flock that included buzz bands like Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Cheifs and others with a smart and punchy rock album in the classic sense of The Kinks or even Oasis. The second album, "Konk," played up The Kinks connection even more, with punchier songs and snappy lyrics. I was really hoping for continued progression with "Junk of The Heart," however, the songs are retracting their claws.
"Junk Of The Heart" is a softer, sweeter Kooks. The songs are breezier and weirdly inoffensive, given song titles like "Eff The World Off" or "No More Mr Nice Guy." Now, both the title track/lead single and the clever "Eskimo Kiss" maintain that Kinksian air about them, while the strings that saturate "Time Above The Earth" are a first for the band, just before leading into the Police-influenced "Runaway." The rest of the songs often feel unfinished or weightless. Lead singer Luke Prichard still has appeal, and I am hoping "Junk of The Heart" is just a blip.
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