The Kills - Blood Pressures, a review

Having finally returned from her commitments to The Dead Weather, Alison Mosshart now has the difficult task of picking up another role and reviving it. The Kills' fourth album now - they've finally reached a stage where people will discuss favourite albums, will notice tracks in adverts and TV shows, and will anticipate new projects with a mixture of apprehension and typical fanboy glee. And hey, with the White Stripes now out of the picture maybe the duo could position themselves as the couple-but-not-a-couple-rock-outfit du jour.

We begin with 'Future Starts Slow', a moody little blues piece that asserts nonchalances in its lyricism ("you can holler, you can wail... you can swing, you can flail") and there's certainly something infectious about it. The single 'Satellite' is almost reggae in its rhythm, their vocals juxtaposing themselves into parallel universes. 'Heart Is A Beating Drum' almost has pop sensibilities with a pretty inoffensive riff, and ping-pong beats throughout, that hooks you in whilst Mosshart contorts her vocals to ensnare you.


There's something worryingly Fix Up Look Sharpish about 'Nail In My Coffin's drumbeat that once noticed gives it a distinct mixture of unintentional humour and genuine swagger - their distortion and chants certainly do their best to veer you towards the latter.

Things are stripped bare then in 'Wild Charms', an extremely Lennonesque inspiration that's both surprising and convincing, as it merges into 'DNA', perhaps their catchiest hook with a pretty restrained vibe that's a little bit of a disappointing comedown; playing it safe if you will.

However 'Baby Says' plays off unconventional chords and sounds to reassert their daring - a heck of a bassline helping things along smoothly to give one of the most satisfying hits. 'The Last Goodbye' introduces a touch of Nico with its cute but devastating piano chords, "I won't regret - the past lies behind me" perhaps affirming the English's answer to Edith Piaf. The Rolling Stones are given a due nod in 'Damned If She Do', a worthy tribute to that kind of sleazy bluegrass rock, but not really establishing their own take on it.



Things get a little weak and repetitive in 'You Don't Own The Road', a sneering track that's almost paint-by-numbers with its Kills conventions. However the album ends strongly with 'Pots and Pans', which whilst equally conventional of their discography, manages to capture their energy and powerdrill into your subconscious with intensity and the attention to detail that really saves the record.

The album generally only really touches on the moody sex appeal of their debut but the music is a world away, more mature and tired than angry outbursts like 'Fuck The People'. This leaves me in a disappointingly indecisive mood so I'll have to give it a pretty unexcited mark.

Rating: 7/10
Highlights: Heart Is A Beating Drum, Nail In My Coffin, The Last Goodbye, Pots and Pans, Baby Says
Avoid: DNA, You Don't Own the Road