The Kooks Announce New Album Listen For September 2014 Release

It’s a much anticipated announcement from British rock band The Kooks. The band’s fourth studio album Listen is set to drop this September, and a new single is coming out in the next few weeks. The Kooks is a band that takes its time with album releases, always leaving at least two years between albums, if not more. The 2011 release of Junk of the Heart kicked off a massive world tour for The Kooks, but for the last year or so, they’ve been hard at work on the latest album project.

Fans have gotten an early taste of Listen with the release of its first single “Down.” The track seems to usher in fresh style for the band, carrying some R&B influences that may have something to do with the fact that the band is working with hip hop artist Inflo. Even more interesting than the style of the song may be the colorfully unique video that goes along with it. The video features the band dancing in front of a background scrim with bold colors alternating in the scene as well. It’s hard to tell if The Kooks are moving away from their post-punk style with the release of the new album, but second single “Around Town,” might give listeners a better clue.

Frontman Luke Pritchard says “Around Town” was the first song that was written for Listen and hints that the new song may also be moving into new territory for the group.

“To me, this album is about pure expression. Even the way we made the album felt fresh. Rather than us just being a band in a room, playing our guitars with the vocal over the top, which is what we’d always done before, we were really listening to what was going on around us, picking up ideas. The whole thing was much more natural,” Pritchard said.

The tour schedule is also going to be picking back up for The Kooks. After playing SXSW in March, they’ll take on Reading and Leeds this summer and play Ibiza Rocks as well. They also have four shows scheduled for the month of May, including one at London’s Electric Ballroom.

Listen Track Listing

1. Around Town
2. Forgive & Forget
3. Westside
4. See Me Now
5. It Was London
6. Bad Habit
7. Down
8. Dreams
9. Are We Electric
10. Sunrise
11. Sweet Emotion

Listen Deluxe Track Listing

1. Around Town
2. Forgive & Forget
3. Westside
4. See Me Now
5. It Was London
6. Bad Habit
7. Down
8. Dreams
9. Are We Electric
10. Sunrise
11. Sweet Emotion
12. Murderer
13. Icons
14. Keep Your Head Up
15. Backstabber
16. Down [Music Video]