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N.K-Pop

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2022 studio album by Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott
N.K-Pop
Studio album by Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott
Released7 October 2022 (2022-10-07)
GenrePub rock
Length43:34
LabelEMI
ProducerJohn Owen Williams
Paul Heaton chronology
Manchester Calling
(2020) 		N.K-Pop
(2022)
Jacqui Abbott chronology
Manchester Calling
(2020) 		N.K-Pop
(2022)
Singles from N.K-Pop
  1. "Still"
    Released: 22 July 2022
  2. "Too Much for One (Not Enough for Two)"
    Released: 18 August 2022

N.K-Pop (also written N.K. Pop) is the fifth studio album by Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, both formerly members of the Beautiful South. The album was released on 7 October 2022 by EMI Records, and preceded by the release of the lead single "Still". The album debuted atop the UK Albums Chart.

Background

The songs were all written in various pubs and "drinking hostelries". The album's title is "a typical Heaton joke, a sly crack at the overproduced super-slick youth-centric flashiness of fashionable K-pop", with Heaton's "humorously grouchy conceit" being "to ally himself with its exact opposite". Heaton has said, "We're K-pop if you're on the wrong side of the border."

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100
Review scores
SourceRating
Daily Express8/10
Financial Times
musicOMH
Record Collector
The Scotsman
The Telegraph

On review aggregator Metacritic, the album received a score of 81 out of 100 based on five critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".

John Murphy of musicOMH found that "While much of N.K. Pop is firmly in the tradition of radio-friendly pop, it's the lyrics that give these songs their extra dimension", concluding that "There are songs on N.K. Pop that stand squarely alongside some of Heaton's best" and that the "famous fire of his shows no sign of being extinguished". Reviewing the album for Record Collector, Terry Staunton opined that there is "wry humour throughout" the album and that "Heaton remains the go-to chronicler of the Everyman condition" with Abbott providing "a vital contribution as both equal-billing foil and relatable conduit of female perspectives in these songs".

Neil McCormick of The Telegraph wrote that Heaton is "back threading barbed wired lyrics through rose garden melodies to catch listeners unaware". McCormick felt that while Heaton and "Abbott "harmonise delightfully" on the album, with Abbott "effectively sound like a female version of the frontman", he "wish would push himself a little harder" as "there are a few too many songs on N.K-Pop that are just witticisms, wordplay and easy on the ear melodies, bashed down in the studio with a certain vigour but no real imagination."

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart on 14 October 2022, becoming Heaton and Abbott's second number-one album after their previous record together, Manchester Calling (2020). It is the fifth UK number-one album for both overall, including their three number-one albums as part of the Beautiful South.

Track listing

Songs written by Paul Heaton and Jonny Lexus, except tracks 3, 4, 8 and 12 by Paul Heaton

N.K-Pop track listing
No.TitleLength
1."The Good Times"4:39
2."Too Much for One (Not Enough for Two)"2:44
3."Who Built the Pyramids?"4:26
4."I Drove Her Away with My Tears"2:50
5."When the World Would Actually Listen"2:49
6."Still"4:35
7."I Ain't Going Nowhere This Year"3:55
8."Sunny Side Up"2:53
9."Baby It's Cold Inside"3:41
10."New Fella"2:59
11."My Mother's Womb"3:48
12."His Master's Game"4:15
Total length:43:34

Charts

Chart performance for N.K-Pop
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Irish Albums (OCC) 4
Scottish Albums (OCC) 1
UK Albums (OCC) 1

References

  1. ^ McCormick, Neil (7 October 2022). "Paul Heaton lacks imagination, The Cult have flashes of greatness – the week's best albums". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbot announce new album 'N.K-Pop', release lead track 'Still'". Retro Pop Magazine. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  3. ^ Murphy, John (4 October 2022). "Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott – N.K. Pop". musicOMH. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  4. ^ "N.K. Pop by Paul Heaton Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  5. Bushell, Garry (29 September 2022). "Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbot – N.K-Pop album review". Daily Express. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  6. Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (7 October 2022). "Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott: NK-Pop album review — a jolly soundtrack with sober moments". Financial Times. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  7. ^ Staunton, Terry (9 September 2022). "N.K-Pop | Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott". Record Collector. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  8. Shepherd, Fiona (30 September 2022). "Album reviews: Bjork | Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott | Courtney Marie Andrews". The Scotsman. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  9. Smith, Carl (14 October 2022). "Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott secure second Number 1 album as a duo with N.K-Pop". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  10. "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  11. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  12. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
Paul Heaton
Discography
Albums
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Jacqui Abbott
Albums
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