One of the best-loved acts to come out of the North West’s indie rock scene in the last decade or so, The K’s have rapidly grown from This Feeling poster boys to nationwide academy fillers and festival favourites. Following on from the success of their top five chart hit debut album, I Wonder If The World Knows, the Earlestown mob are back with their follow-up, and there’s no sophomore slump here.
Backed by a huge cult following, The K’s have honed the type of indie rock music they want to make, and why not? Pretty On The Internet is full to the brim with tracks to excite their crowd and get the party started whilst also showing plenty of versatility throughout. The K’s show here that any misconception that this is landfill indie reincarnated is exactly that, a misconception.
Though not quite genre-bending, experimental or too adventurous, if there’s anything we can take from the band’s success and love, it’s that the brand of indie rock they pioneer will always have an audience, and it’ll never quite die.
Opener ‘Before I Hit the Floor’ comes equipped with catchy riffs, a singalong chorus and a staple anthemic bridge. Lead singer Jamie Boyle’s unique vocal style and sound absolutely set them apart from their peers.
After a run of signature K’s anthems, the vibe shunts from indie glory days nostalgia to the orchestral moment that is ‘Helen, Oh, I’. Proving they’re no one-trick pony, this left-field single is a heartfelt five-minute ballad showing the band in a new light. String-led and pulling on the heartstrings, the aforementioned unique vocal ties in perfectly with such a track. Different yet very much welcomed in an album that was teetering on ‘samey’ prior.
We’re launched straight back into the fire afterwards, however, with perhaps the album’s biggest highlight, ‘Picking Up the Pieces’. The track from which the album got its title is a classic K’s track, but there’s something that sets it apart from the rest. The catchiest chorus on the whole record, a serious head bopper and a smart, simple track. Smashed it.
Towards the end of the record, all worries of waning are off as the band has gone for a medal finish. ‘Sold It, Own It’ opens slowly before unleashing some of the best guitar work the album has to offer alongside a chorus to rival ‘Picking Up the Pieces’ in a catchiness competition. A great track made even better by the ‘eat the rich’ line. Based the K’s, everybody.
‘Running Away Now’ is different. This is the type of ‘anthemic indie rock’ the world is looking for. A superb track that really highlights the band’s talents as musicians.
We’re played out perfectly by ‘Perfect Haunting’. The strings are back once more, and this is ‘Helen’ times ten. A genuinely gorgeous track, the keys and strings make for a wonderful listen. Further showing that The K’s aren’t just the in-the-box, standard indie-rock act you may think they are.
Pretty On The Internet is a brilliant sophomore record. Packed full of indie bangers to please the legacy fans whilst also showing just enough flair and talent to prove that they are more than capable of stepping outside their comfort zone.