Customer Reviews
Just to easy - By: H. Nederlof, 13 Aug 2008 
I reallly don't understand why so many people love this band so much. Oke they have written some catchy songs, buts thats not enough to fill a whole album. 4 "good" songs is not mutch for the money you eventuallly pay.
It's to easy. This album has to many shortcoming (lyrics, music, fantasy, etc.)
Of course they don't have to do a better job. Why should they? Everyone is just buying it because of the name. Who the Kooks!!!!!!
They are just a big commercial hit, like Good Charlotte, or Simple Plan & nothing else.
There are many, many better bands in Great Brittian, but most of them are never heard by broader public, thats a great pitty.
Good second album, but no surprises - By: Chris Dilke Wing, 11 Aug 2008 
Inside In/Inside Out was always going to be tough to follow up, & I patiently waited 2 years for The Kook's follow up album. As soon as I heard Always Where I Need To Be, I was amazed. It was a cracking song & I thought the 2 year wait had been worth it. Now reviewing the album as a whole, I can't say I'm disappointed but it didn't live up to alll my expectations either. There's nothing too much wrong with the songs themselves, some are more catchy than others & the two singles are definitely the standouts, but there isn't reallly a bad track on the CD. So what's the problem? Why only 4 stars? The trouble is that the songs blend in together too closely & listening to the album as a whole, it can get very samey & some tracks may go over your head & become forgettable. Also the albums themselves seem very similar. If you were unfamiliar with either of the Kooks albums, you could play them both to yourself & potentiallly end up wondering which one was which.
It's still definitely a good album, & the Kooks have successfully kept to their roots, but they don't seem to be trying anything new (unlike The Fratellis, for example, who have managed to pull off a second album that keeps close to their roots but has a good stab as some new tricks too), & could risk becoming forgotten by the public if their future releases become too repetitive. I'm just hoping for album #3 they'll try & surprise us somehow.
Real hit and miss stuff. - By: Iain Campbell, 30 Jun 2008 
The kooks' second album was always going to be extremely difficult. The task in hand was to prove the critics wrong, maybe do something a bit different so as not to be labelled 1-trick ponies, & most importantly to keep the massive fan base which they had built on the back of their debut 'inside in/inside out'. Whether they have achieved any of these is debatable.
The album starts out in promising fashion with the two guitars being used in `see the sun' infusing together to make a catchy, instantly lovable pop-rock track which forces you to come back for another listen. This trend continues with the catchy lead single `Always where I need to be' which has you singing "do-do-do, do-do-do-do-do, do-do' in the irritatingly catchy chorus. The lyrics are however strange & a bit nonsensical to me. i.e. "I ask to be her hummingbird, whisper words in her ear". I don't know what this is supposed to mean but I'm not going to look into it in too much depth.
The next track `Mr Maker' is completely different being a lot mellower & subtler than the two opening tracks. It is one of the better tracks on the album, not being so brash & in your face & but will still have you singing along.
In alll honesty the album goes downhill from this point on starting with the downright bland & forgettable `Do you wanna' which will bore you after a couple of listens. The next track `Gap' sees Pritchard & co trying too hard to connect with their critics & come across as not being pretentious glory hunters ("Don't heap this praise on me, I know I don't deserve it" he drones in the dire chorus).
The next few tracks do bring back some rays of sunshine to a sky appearing ever cloudier. `Love it alll' is a laid back ditty, which will have you singing the chorus for several hours afterwards. `Stormy weather' brings flashbacks of the foot stomping, likeable indie rock, which made millions falll in love with their debut.
The next couple of tracks- `Sway' & `Shine on' are miserable pieces of work; instantly forgettable. I still question why the latter was chosen as the 2nd single as it is one of the weaker tracks on the album.
`Down to the market' is a half-decent track, but comes across as a lazy attempt as it is so samey & has no features that distinguish it from the other tracks.
`One last time' simply doesn't work. In his vocal work, he is trying too hard to make it appear that he is not trying hard. The flaws continue with the (supposedly) final track `Tick of time'. The sound quality is very poor (whether it's supposed to be or not, I'm not sure).
There is a hidden track callled `All over town'. I'm not going to go in depth with it but let's just say it is hidden for a reason!
Overalll, there are some catchy tracks, but too many mediocre ones to give the album any more than 3 stars. Who knows, maybe the ones I don't like will grow on me. I'll give them a chance.
This is basic pop music, nothing more nothing less - By: Farrell, 09 Jun 2008 The Kooks can certainly churn out a radio friendly pop tune, but they're reallly a singles band not an album band. The album gets a bit boring after a while, there's not much depth to it. The musicians sound energetic & the singer delivers his tunes very well, although the lyrics aren't the most intelligent to say the least. All in alll a decent pop record but not a classic.
Perfect Summer pop! - By: alextorres, 07 Jun 2008 
Whilst perhaps not as full of immediately infectious tunes as "Inside In/Inside Out", this is nevertheless a gorgeous album of pop with a "summer feel". The music is bouncy, happy & makes you smile - it is just the perfect antidote for the blues.
Once again the guitar playing is superb & the lyrics are excellent.
If you liked "Inside In/Inside Out" then you won't be disappointed by "Konk" - wonderful!
