What makes The Kooks stand out from the derivative outpouring of British indie rock bands is that each track retains its own distinctive fingerprint, and although many of their songs are influenced by bands like the Kinks, The Zombies, and Bob Dylan, they always add their own swaggering twist. But swagger isn’t all they have; the album moves across genres effortlessly, from punk rock, to country, and to intimate acoustic numbers like the opening track, “Seaside.” They shine even when the amp isn’t turned up to 11 like on “Naïve” and “She Moves in Her Own Way,” which are especially melodic songs, with hook-friendly chorus that make you want to sing along.
Bottom line: A definite pleaser. This is an album you’ll have in your stereo for months.
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