Junk of the Heart

Brighton Music College birthed the essential pop band the Kooks, who are said to stretch their boundaries with their 2011 album <i>Junk of the Heart</i>. But it isn’t anything likely to alienate fans of their first two quite enjoyable pop albums. The title track is an immediately bracing pop tune with a bright melody, a catchy lyric and the kind of smart instrumentation that makes their music such an enduring escapade. “Rosie” throws a rowdy choir behind the chorus. “Taking Pictures of You” slows down and works out a beautifully languid soundfield of airy synths and backwards guitars. “Time Above the Earth” is an orchestral number with carefully arranged strings. “Runaway” works with a low-budget synth looping around the vague reggae rhythm and a wonderful falsetto. “Killing Me”, tucked into the album’s center, is a powerful ballad. Though the band’s name is taken from a David Bowie song, the group actually reflects the sounds of ‘60s groups such as the Kinks and Love even more.