British pop rock band the Kooks have always been trying to reclaim the same level of success that they achieved with their first album Inside In/Inside Out, released in 2006. Since then, they just haven't quite met the mark, and their fifth studio album, Let's Go Sunshine, is no exception.
The Kooks have always excelled at well structured pop rock, but they're also a little too comfortable in the basic pop formula. Let's Go Sunshine scarcely veers into experimental territory, and as a result, the tracks lack unique characteristics. While collectively the songs are happy-go-lucky, giving off a carefree tone, at 15 tracks, Let's Go Sunshine gets boring quickly.
There are a few moments of experimentation, like the echoing vocals on "Tesco Disco," the kettle boiling on "Four Leaf Clover" or the horns in "Weight of the World," but these attention-grabbing moments are buried in layers and layers of formulaic, over-produced and safely structured pop rock songs, a lot of which overuse call and response in the choruses. We're left begging for more memorable moments.
The final track, "No Pressure," ends the way the album begins, as it mindfully reruns the album's opening track, "Intro." Touches like these show the potential this album had; if they dropped the ambitious approach of 15 tracks and stuck with the most notable eight or nine, Let's Go Sunshine might have been a bit more consistent and interesting.
(Sony)The Kooks have always excelled at well structured pop rock, but they're also a little too comfortable in the basic pop formula. Let's Go Sunshine scarcely veers into experimental territory, and as a result, the tracks lack unique characteristics. While collectively the songs are happy-go-lucky, giving off a carefree tone, at 15 tracks, Let's Go Sunshine gets boring quickly.
There are a few moments of experimentation, like the echoing vocals on "Tesco Disco," the kettle boiling on "Four Leaf Clover" or the horns in "Weight of the World," but these attention-grabbing moments are buried in layers and layers of formulaic, over-produced and safely structured pop rock songs, a lot of which overuse call and response in the choruses. We're left begging for more memorable moments.
The final track, "No Pressure," ends the way the album begins, as it mindfully reruns the album's opening track, "Intro." Touches like these show the potential this album had; if they dropped the ambitious approach of 15 tracks and stuck with the most notable eight or nine, Let's Go Sunshine might have been a bit more consistent and interesting.