British indie stalwarts The Kooks have dropped their eagerly awaited seventh studio album, 'Never/Know'. This 11-track collection, helmed by frontman Luke Pritchard as producer, marks a deliberate journey back to the core of the band's initial creative spirit. Pritchard articulated the album’s driving force, explaining, “It’s not about going back to the first album’s sound, but to the roots of our influences and asking, ‘What is the identity of this band?’”
The process was an exercise in shedding their past baggage. “The whole thing was to just forget that the past had happened,” he revealed. Yet, paradoxically, moving forward necessitated a moment of introspection: “What kind of music do we want to make, and how do we make it feel natural?” This candid reflection has clearly paid dividends, resulting in a record that feels both fresh and intrinsically Kooks.
To celebrate the album’s arrival, fans were treated to a new music video for the deeply personal single, ‘If They Could Only Know’. On this poignant track, Pritchard explores themes of intergenerational bonds and longing. He shared, “My Gran loved my wife, but she only met her when we’d been going out for a few months, and then she died. My dad also died when I was a kid. I just wish both of them could see me happy. Essentially, it's as simple as that really.” He humorously added, “And I love the line about my Granny’s cooking... because it was bloody awful.”
The 'Never/Know' campaign kicked off in January with a special Indie Club Night at Notting Hill Arts Club, offering lucky fans a glimpse of the new material in an intimate setting. The album’s eponymous first single, ‘Never Know’, quickly became Radio X’s ‘Record of the Week’, also earning airplay on BBC Radio 1, 6Music, and Jo Whiley's BBC Radio 2 show. NME hailed the single as ushering in "The new era of The Kooks," while 1883 magazine declared, “The Kooks have cemented themselves as a key part of the UK musical landscape.” The infectious, sunshine-laden 'Sunny Baby' followed, garnering praise from The Times, who dubbed it "Hook perfect" in their 'Best new songs' feature.
Elsewhere on the album, The Kooks pay homage to their roots with a captivating rendition of the Wings track, ‘Arrow Through Me’. Pritchard explained the choice, stating, “I was listening to it a lot and it was informing the production on the album. It sounds simple but the time signature is quite weird; it showed me how genius it is to be able to make something so complicated feel like a pop song.” He drew a comparison, adding, “The Police do that kind of thing almost as well as The Beatles. It’s high art to me. Aside from that, I just love the song. It gives me a love at first sight feeling.”
With 'Never/Know' now available, The Kooks are set to hit the road this autumn for a UK arena tour, culminating in their biggest ever headline show at London’s iconic O2 Arena. It’s clear this new chapter is just beginning for the Brighton quartet.
