From the big drums and mass celebratory voices (courtesy of Behind The Force Choir, who appear sporadically throughout the album) of opening track Around Town, The Kooks comeback comes out of the starting blocks in surprising fashion. It’s an interesting amalgamation of indie and dance, hints of Primal Scream usurping the normally straight forward two guitar, drums and bass set up of the band who for much of their previous existence was primarily enamoured with the simplicities and classicism of 60s Britpop.

Much of the change in direction of The Kooks can be directed at London producer Inflo, who as well as producing Listen, is heavily involved in the music making and writing throughout. With the introduction of this young hip hop turk and the significant changes in the way the record was made – more spontaneity, less rehearsal, greater emphasis on percussion and a decidedly free-wheeling spirit throughout – The Kooks have succeeded in re-inventing themselves as they enter their late 20s, albeit with mixed results, Pritchard’s classical pop songwriting style now incorporating a much wider and deeper musical palette that embraces British pop music of the 80s, funk and dance.

Forgive and Forget begins with what seems like another song altogether, tagged on at the beginning, as an afterthought, Pritchard and just guitar laying down the song in a manner befitting earlier Kooks, before it cuts into something different, again with that Primal Scream circa Screamadelica feel; laying down the white boy funk and choppy guitars, along with those gospel backing vocals that lend the song that uplifting vibe that temporarily turned on Primal Scream, back in the day, from leather clad psychedelic rockers into ecstasy fuelled indie-dance pioneers.

Westside is another departure, again beginning with what sounds like typical Britpop Pritchard before the 80s pop synths sidle in, Westside becoming a tasty replication of an 80s rare groove party sound, while the departing line ‘And this is love song number 23’ tells us all we need to know about the limitations of any profound lyrical insight, here and elsewhere on Listen. Although Pritchard comes close on the much more personal See Me Now, a ‘letter’ to his long deceased father. However, the rather lame social commentary of It Was London is a case of too little, too late in offering anything new on the stories of the London riots of 2011, while The Kooks attempt to crank up the rocknroll, evoking the spirit of T-Rex and other musical renegades but falling a little short.

Bad Habit continues the emphasis on percussive rhythm, new drummer Alex Nunez providing plenty of added muscle and tribal musicality throughout Listen, although the role of original guitarist Hugh Harris is diminished here, his guitar playing apparent on some of the tracks but not on others where he doesn’t feature in any shape or form, Inflo, it seems, has become Pritchard’s main musical partner for this project at least…

Down, a song that when released as a single earlier in the year was the first taste of the new direction The Kooks had taken, was a real shock at the time, especially for diehard Kooks fans, such was it’s radical departure; the percussion heavy, indie-african funk flavours almost totally at odds with their previous sound and style, although retaining the party side to The Kooks music and personality, that has been there since the beginning. And if that wasn’t surprising enough, Dreams begins in, wait for it… bossa nova style, mixed with a mid-60s nascent psychedelic/spaghetti western vibe. Pritchard has openly admitted in the past that he just takes, without question, stuff he loves and fashions into something Kooksesque. Here, it’s just him and Inflo, guitars and synths, evoking the spirit of pre-Beggars Banquet Rolling Stones.

The incongruity of it all is made even more apparent by the cheesy opening of blatant 80s rip-off We Are Electric, the inner white boy funk of Pritchard again finding an outlet. And the mildly funky 80s vibe of the album continues with the urgent Sunrise, which features the repeated line Everybody Loves The Sunrise, an obvious tip of the hat to the Roy Ayers classic, while album closer Sweet Emotion is an ideal finale, the african guitar flourishes complimenting the sunshine acoustic soul vibe, before fading out amdist some tasteful jazz piano.

Three years after Junk of the Heart, a time period that saw The Kooks do very little, the world has moved on. Long gone are the days of Naïve and She Moves In Her Own Way and even 2011’s Is It Me, just three classy songs that the younger Kooks brought to the table and who were awarded with fame and fortune and in particular, a large and adoring female fanbase. Subsequent to 2011’s Junk of the Heart, The Kooks have been striving for a new sound, a new direction and a move away from the 60s Britpop sound that has served them so well. But the party spirit of the band remains largely intact and in depicting a beating heart on the cover, The Kooks show that yes, there is some life in the boys yet.

Jeff Hemmings

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