This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
For some Southern bands, power-pop begins and ends with Big Star. Thankfully, The Kicks are not one of those bands.
Sure, these Arkansas boys have a sound that boasts enough twang, jangle and harmony to make it clear they’ve spent quality time with the Alex Chilton catalogue. But one spin of their debut CD Hello Hong Kong is all it takes to know their sphere of influences extends beyond the Mason-Dixon line. The bubble-crunch of Cheap Trick, the lighthearted humour and loopy melodies of Fountains of Wayne and Wheatus, the power-chord wallop of alt-rock and the adrenalized punch of pop-punk are just some of the puzzle pieces that The Kicks jigsaw together into hook-heavy, chart-friendly cuts like Radar, Satellite and the aptly named Pop Star Radio Crown. If they keep this up, they could be the biggest stars out of Little Rock since President Bubba.
