The Kooks: Listen Virgin

When this Brighton quartet strutted onto the scene in 2006 with Inside In/Inside Out, they brought a fresh take to retro guitar rock. But by the time of their third album (2011's Junk of the Heart), The Kooks were hoofing up blind alleys in search of a style that suited them. With Listen, they've regained their stride, and it's a combination of Jagger swagger, Jackson moonwalk and pimp roll. Westside, Around Town, Forgive and Forget and Sweet Emotion draw from r'n'b history, referencing everyone from Wacko to Hall & Oates to Earth, Wind & Fire. Bad Habit, It Was London and Down, meanwhile, stick closer to a classic rock template. Listen was produced by hip-hop tyro Inpho, who skilfully steers the funk, soul, jazz and rock elements cominatcha, and keeps it all nicely pitched at street level – although they could have gone easier on the gospel choir and turned down the cheese levels on Are We Electric. thekooks.com

Download: Westside, Around Town, It Was London