Same Kooks, New Sound
Inside in/Inside Out, the Kooks' first album, had a feel as if a veteran band was reinventing themseves with a great new sound despite it being their first album. Following in the success of its footsteps, it seemed it would be hard for the Kooks to not let it go to their head and make an album that simply followed in its predecessor's shadow. Luckily for listeners, half of this is true- the success did go their heads; but this band seems to thrive on ego. Konk sounds just as original as Inside In/Inside Out, but doesn't play at all like it. Instead of the quick, jittery and coalesced sound of Inside, Konk's songs sound more expansive and self-sufficient- each song has its own individual taste, instead of borrowing from the songs surrounding. The best example of this is the song Gap, which begins with a foreboding of itself as it slowly builds to a climax of deeply-echoing guitars before finally bringing back to its beginning. The album is filled with songs like this from beginning to end- See the Sun opens the album triumphantly while Tick of Time does the same thing but with a completely different feel.
The second disc, Rak, sounds like a bridge between Konk and Inside In/Inside Out. Watching the Ships Roll In and See the Sun (alternate) both sound like the song Seaside from Inside, showing what the album might have been if the Kooks were to make this album repeat the last. Hateful of Love (the chorus of which is used in Tick of Time) sounds like Got No Love and Nothing Ever Changes sounds somewhat like Matchbox. This isn't a bad thing, but by expanding their sound instead of repeating, the Kooks show what it takes to make a great band.

Second cd also good...
Kooks - British english vocals, good guitar tunes....

Hot blooded honest music... excellent 2nd album... KONK...

2 cd version is really really good choice... How can a person loose the chance of listening NO LONGER and FA LA LA ?...

ONE LAST TIME is going to be song of my life...

The band comes out with a Kook-y release with Konk
I am a big fan of the first album, first off, so my review is slightly biased. The album isn't quite as good as the first, but there's something there that makes me like it ...A LOT!

The new album goes a little more electric, making the Kooks stray from the acoustic indie rock that really made them famous on Inside In/Inside Out. ...But don't let that get you down. They definitely make up for it with their great hooks and songwriting abilities. I love their upbeat songs. The stand out songs seem to be Always Where I Need To Be, Mr. Maker, Sway, and Down To The Market.

The bonus disc, entitled RAK, is a great addition, especially for only a couple of bucks more. It has some really good "B-Sides" and demos on it, but the songs didn't go with the actual album (So I guess it's a good thing they didn't include them on there). It showcases some really good stuff.

I hope this review helps. I can't wait to see what they can do with this album when I see them live this summer.

Enjoyable.
Brighton's Kooks sneakily sold two million copies of their debut album, "Inside In/Inside Out".

Their breezy indie pop was an unchallenging pleasure, but it was obvious they wished to be taken more seriously.

Their solution here is to keep the tunes and beef up the electric guitars, which works fine on "Down to the Marke"t and the energetic single "Always Where I Need to Be", though Luke Pritchard's smooth voice frequently strains towards aggression and falls short.

Simplistic lyrics (he endlessly asks, "Do you wanna make love to me?" on Do "You Wanna", and even sings the alphabet on "One Last Time") fail to give the depth the band strive for. They're still catchy, but greater significance eludes them.

Whatever you thought of their first album, "Inside In/Inside Out", prepare to think the same of "Konk".

If you liked it, this is as cute, chirpy and unpretentious; if you didn't, this is as bland, repetitive and unoriginal.

They haven't changed a bit.

"See the Sun" (fast indie-lite jangle) and "Sway" (slow indie-lite jangle) are the likeliest hits.

The good thing about the Kooks is they try to make each song catchy enough to be a single.

..."Konk" is not without its accomplishments, but it lacks the drive and far more importantly, the anthemic qualities of their debut.

It's too early to count them out, but they'll need to try harder with album number three".BBC

Inside In/Inside Out
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not