1990s’ sophomore effort owes more to the ’70s and ’80s than it does
to the decade of slacker posturing and grunge-fueled angst. The 12
tracks on Kicks are an uplifting mix of swaggering garage-rock,
jangle-pop and the neon-clad guitar-pop of the Reagan era. Singer
Jackie McKeown has no problem attacking a wide range of tones. He
adopts a sultry glam-rock sneer on the stadium-ready stomper
“Kickstrasse,” does his best Damon Albarn on the blues-laced
fuzz-rocker “The Box” and is pure sugary pop on “Tell Me When You’re
Ready” and “59.” Not many groups have been able to tackle this sort of
retro guitar-pop with such aplomb. There’s nothing gimmicky about the
way the 1990s run through these smart, smirking tunes. Instead,
Kicks is a prozac-induced trip through rock’s brighter, more
infectious moments, with no hints of irony or trend-hopping. The
album’s youthful energy, clever hooks that come wrapped in vintage
rock-star attitude and a clear, glimmering production style make for a
consistently pleasing record. — Matt Whelihan
This article appears in Apr 29 – May 5, 2009.
