The Kooks Share New Single ‘Never Know’ Ahead of Australian Tour

The track is taken from The Kook’s upcoming seventh album, Never/Know.

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2025 is shaping up as a big year for UK indie favs The Kooks. Not only are they touring Australia this month, but the lads are readying the release of their first album in three years.

Never/Know arrives May 9 (pre-order here) and has been described as “a return to the band’s trademark, anthemic songwriting, and a celebration of their taste in timeless, classic records.”

The album began as a solo project of frontman and songwriter Luke Pritchard that evolved into a Kooks record with the help of guitarist Hugh Harris. Self-produced by Pritchard, the 11-track album finds the band going back to their carefree indie roots.

“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 whole thing was to just forget that the past had happened,” Pritchard says of the album. “But to truly move forward, they had to reflect: “What kind of music do we want to make, and how do we make it feel natural?” 

Harris adds, “At the heart of it, we both want the same thing, and that’s very powerful.” 

Along with announcing the release of Never/Know, The Kooks have shared the first single from the album, ‘Never Know’. The track captures the excitement of young love and retains the feel of The Kooks’ earlier work.

“It’s a love song about a cute meet with someone unpredictable,” Pritchard explains. “I like the idea of it being played in a convertible on a road trip somewhere ridiculous. Because really, you never know.”

READ MORE: The Jungle Giants Share New Single ‘Hold My Hand’, Announce National Tour

The release of the single coincides with the Brighton band’s Aussie tour that sees them scheduling gigs in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide, along with festival appearances at Tasmania’s Party In The Paddock and Yours and Owls in Wollongong.

Performing all their big hits from across their career, including ‘Naive’, ‘Seaside’, ‘She Moves in Her Own Way’, ‘Bad Habit’, ‘Sweet Emotion’ and ‘Junk of the Heart (Happy)’, fans can expect a nostalgic night of good times when The Kooks hit Australia.

Joined by US singer-songwriter Briston Maroney, The Kooks begin their tour at Party in the Paddock in Tassie on Friday, February 7 and follow this with dates at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Thursday, February 20 and Melbourne’s Palace Foreshore on Thursday, February 27.

After a few days rest, The Kooks continue their tour with dates at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on Saturday, March 1, Wollongong’s Yours and Owls Festival on Sunday, March 2 and Adelaide’s Hindley Street Music Hall on Tuesday, March 4, wrapping things up at Perth’s Red Hill Auditorium on Thursday, March 6.

Tickets for all shows are on sale now via untitledgroup.com.

Since breaking through way back in 2006 with their acclaimed debut album In/Inside Out, The Kooks have solidified themselves as one of the few UK indie acts who continue to release great music consistently.

Amassing 7.7 million monthly Spotify listeners, The Kooks have dropped six studio albums over the journey, with their most recent, 2022’s 10 Tracks to Echo in the Dark, an experimental synth-pop album showcasing a new dimension to the band.

Catch The Kooks at Hindley Street Music Hall on Tuesday, March 4. Tickets on sale now via untiltedgroup.com. Check out the tour dates and album artwork/tracklisting for Never/Know below.

The Kooks 2025 Australian TOUR DATES

Friday, February 7 – Party In The Paddock, Carrick TAS

Thursday, February 20 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney NSW

Thursday, February 27 – Palace Foreshore, Melbourne VIC

Saturday, March 1 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane QLD

Sunday, March 2 – Yours and Owls Festival, Wollongong NSW

Tuesday, March 4 – Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide SA

Thursday, March 6 – Red Hill Auditorium, Perth WA

Never/Know

1. Never Know  

2. Sunny Baby  

3. All Over The World  

4. If They Could Only Know  

5. China Town  

6. Compass Will Fracture  

7. Tough At The Top  

8. Arrow Through Me  

9. Echo Chamber  

10. Let You Go  

11. Talk About It

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