Junk of the Heart

iTunes Review

Brighton Music College birthed the essential pop band the Kooks, who are said to stretch their boundaries with their 2011 album Junk of the Heart. 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.