Call me an old codger, but sometimes it amazes me how well the kids these days write and play music. On the top of that list (along with fellow Englishmen The Arctic Monkeys) are The Kooks. It’s hard to believe that when they wrote their first album, Inside In/Inside Out, the lads were in their teens. I mean, when I was 19, I was still writing bad Nirvana-inspired poetry. Instead of that sort of drivel, The Kooks sold 2 million copies of Inside In/Inside Out and are known for their ironic covers of songs like “All That She Wants.”

Today (April 15) marks a special day for The Sword Swallower – the North American release of Konk, The Kooks’ sophomore release. Good news, too. A lot of sophomore albums, in two words, suck balls. But I took a listen to the new stuff and it’s still as acerbic, witty and melodic as Inside In/Inside Out. The Kooks have made a huge splash across the pond, with artists like Lily Allen covering their songs.

The catchy upbeat pop isn’t sugary, but it is intentional. Luke Pritchard, Kooks singer and guitarist says, “'If it doesn't make you feel good, then what's the point? There's too much drab shoe-gazing shit around. I hate all that cack.”

The Kooks are amazing live, but if you don’t have tickets to their upcoming tour, you’re out of luck because it sold out in minutes. The band plays in Vancouver on May 24 at The Commodore Ballroom and in Toronto on June 4 at Kool Haus. The official site has lots of videos and songs to indulge in. Check the new album out, you won’t be disappointed!

Yours forever,

SS