The Kooks' Joyous Britpop Garden: A Quickie Album in Five Days
The British pop band, The Kooks, completes the production of their new album in a swift five-day timespan under bright, sunny weather conditions. - Band the Kooks swiftly craft a cheerful Britpop LP in a mere five days.
The Kooks are back, baby! With their fresh and zestful seventh album "Never/Know", they're showing that their classic Britpop charm is still shining brighter than disco balls in a Windsor Castle ballroom, despite being in the shimmery game for close to two decades. As frontman Luke Pritchard tells Deutsche Presse-Agentur, "We crafted this goofy, sun-soaked, slightly trippy record. It's made when everything's looking a bit lousy and there's an overflow of crappy news. It's a time we all could use something to escape into."
Curious about this new, escapist oasis? Here's a breakdown:
Genre, Number of Tracks, Length:
British indie-rock (with pop, funk, and soul inspirations) - 13 tracks spanning 36:24 minutes.
What it sounds like:
"Never/Know" is a fresh, engaging brew. This album boasts cohesive indie vocals and instrumentals, blending rocky guitars, synthesizers, and perky drums with lyrics that practically froth over. Pritchard didn't just scribble the lyrics; he produced almost all of the songs himself, giving it a unique and consistent flavor. As the singer admits, "It's loose, it's raw, and there are mistakes here and there."
The band's influences are clear in places: The Police, Sam Cooke, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and the Rolling Stones. These classics have fueled the Kooks since the get-go.
What it's about:
"Never/Know" is a pulsating ball of good energy. The album took shape through Pritchard's young kiddos. "They bring so much joy into my life, and that's reflected on the album," Pritchard shares. "The other part is that you don't have much time when you have kids." He whipped it up in just five doggone days. It's a blend of love, hope, and a dash of uncertainty. In other words, it's all about living life with an air of unrestrained enthusiasm.
Interesting snippets:
There's no denying that each artist has their peculiarities, and Pritchard is no exception. "I've gotten into transcendental meditation. It's helped me find inner peace, and I think you can feel that throughout the album." He also likes to get his sweat on, making a jest, "Pilates is the new rock'n'roll."
His hero: the ever-youthful and leather-pants-wearing Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger (81). "He's always been a runner and kept himself fit in a multitude of ways, and I think I haven't had as much horizontal tango as Mick Jagger, but I don't think anyone does," Pritchard quips while laughing. Balance is always good, though!
Favorite track:
"Sunny Baby" gives off strong summer vibes. Pritchard's passionate vocals are backed by bountiful, lush harmonies. He's been yearning for a song like this, he claims. "It just has this warmth. So, I'm really proud of this number."
Pritchard wasn't up for adding to the dismal outlook that some folks have on the world today. He wants the next few years to be the best of his life. That's the joyful feeling that "Sunny Baby" radiates.
For whom?
If you've got a soft spot for the nostalgic Britpop days when Blur and Oasis reigned supreme on the radio, "Never/Know" is a trip back to the Kooks' libido-filled beginnings. "I tried to capture the humor I had in the first album. I brought it back," Pritchard declares.
But it's also accurate that no album may truly eclipse their initial masterpiece "Inside In/Inside Out" (2006). It's still their highest-achieving album for a specific reason. However, "Never/Know" can easily keep up, especially for a few tunes, more than half a century later.
- Britpop
- The Kooks
- Music
- Children
- Berlin
- News
- Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Insight:
- The presence of children or family life may have influenced the themes of love, family, and living in the moment present in the album "Never/Know."
- Frontman Luke Pritchard's personal experiences and reflections on life, including ideas of living without fear and appreciating every day, may have been inspired by his own family life.
- The album's release and excitation towards new, younger fans finding their music may reflect a broader appreciation of the new generation and themes revolving around love and family.
- The new album by The Kooks, "Never/Know", encapsulates the life-affirming energy of Britpop, reflecting frontman Luke Pritchard's experiences with his children in Berlin.
- As Luke Pritchard discusses with Deutsche Presse-Agentur, this album serves as an escape, especially during turbulent times filled with gloomy news.
- The themes of love, hope, and living in the moment seen in "Never/Know" align with Luke Pritchard's perspective on life, influenced by his family and desire to cherish each day.
- With its unique blend of British indie-rock, pop, funk, and soul, "Never/Know" transports listeners back to the nostalgic early days of Britpop, making it appealing to both old and new fans of The Kooks.
