English jazz-punk group Opus Kink deliver a delightfully kooky album with their most recent full-length release.
Release date: July 31, 2026 | SO Recordings | Instagram | Bandcamp | Streaming
The first few notes of any album probably matter more than any other single run throughout the tracklist. That may be a bit obvious, but it’s been on my mind considering the opening track of Brighton jazz-punk band Opus Kink‘s new album, titled The Sweet Goodbye, is so killer that it sets the tone for the rest of a stellar record.
“Come Over, Do Me Wrong” grabs you by the collar with its infectious and somewhat foreboding saxophone riff, building up a sexy, creepy groove that perfectly straddles the line between unique and catchy. I can’t express how phenomenal this track is–complete with brass squeals, smooth bass, and a general Cabaret vibe.
Opus Kink is not just concerned with beginnings, as each individual section of The Sweet Goodbye nails the intended emotional arc. The second track “Will It Come For You” is probably The Sweet Goodbye‘s most straightforwardly post-punk track, starting with a before crescendoing into some wild, anarchic chaos. I like this contrast–Opus Kink shows us that they are here to party from a variety of angles, each approached with the same passion and care.
Of course, the album closer must carry equal weight, especially with an A-side this strong, and fortunately, “Crucify!” and “Oh, Irony” deliver. “Crucify!” is The Sweet Goodbye‘s longest track, and really the climax of the story so far, an examination of desire and persecution against a multi-part epic within the music itself. And “Oh, Irony” is the yin to “Come Over, Do Me Wrong”‘s yang–surprisingly subtle, nearly Badalamenti at the top, before blossoming into a lazy New Orleans jazz dirge on the album’s slow exit.
Part of what makes The Sweet Goodbye so intriguing from a composition perspective is the absolute boatload of influences ranging in genre and era. The title track feels like Nick Cave on weird mushrooms, including a “Red Right Hand” bell-clang moment. “Peckham Nocturne” is the most direct The Cramps homage on the album, veering into the border of rockabilly territory, but never quite committing to that flavor of cheesy, instead borrowing the more flattering elements of the genre like pared-down percussion and a walking bassline.
Even “I’m A Pretty Showboy” mixes things up mid-song. The introductory bass riff and laconic vocals almost give mid-career Arctic Monkeys, but the latter half of the track explodes into riotous Geese pastoral esbat.
Is The Sweet Goodbye, at times, over-the-top? Well, yeah. The entire thing has a bit of a haunted carnival energy to it, but I frankly have no issue with that. There is no excess for the sake of excess on this album. Even the most outwardly zany track, “The Head Tree” which features The New Eves, feels at home on this record despite its nearly twee Mother Mother folk-horror madness. Opus Kink, as mentioned, hold up a big ol’ red sign the second The Sweet Goodbye starts to let you know that this is a theatrical affair; either get in the circus tent, or kindly move along.
The Sweet Goodbye is legitimately a standout album this year that hedges exactly zero bets throughout its runtime. Opus Kink are uninterested in half-assing anything, and that makes for raucously good listen.
