The Kills - No Wow

Sun, 21 Aug 2005 13:51:03 UTC

I blame the Bills, Purdy and Cross, for getting me into this band. Not that I’m complaining, but they kinda created a monster.

Last year when I traveled to Chicago to see Devo and met the Bills, they threw all sorts of music at me that I hadn’t heard before. The Kills stuck out as a bluesy/PJ Harvey-sounding band that I knew I had to buy before I left. The first CD, Keep on Your Mean Side, was pretty sweet. Then came the new one a few months ago.

I passed on picking it up for a while, and I’m not sure why. Then Purdy came to CO and we hit the record store. He basically accosted me in the middle of the store for not owning the new CD, No Wow, yet. Plus, if you buy it at an independent music store, you may be lucky enough to get the 48-minute DVD along with it. It’s a cool behind-the-scenes look at this band that is just starting to ramp up. They should start getting noticed, because they are amazing!

The sound is raw with guitars that actually remind me a lot of early, early B-52’s. The Kills are merely a duo, but they sound enormous. Jamie Hince (vocals, guitar, drums, percussion) and Alison Mosshart (vocals) have no problem coming across as a huge band. Her voice is smoother than PJ’s and the music is a little less dark. However, they do still have a really cool sound getting to the depths of the bass – perfect for your 10” subwoofer! Rattle the windows from the start! Heck, if you enjoy the Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’s, the White Stripes, and/or PJ Harvey, you must own this CD.

No Wow/Telephone Radio Germany kicks the CD off with a deep, pulsating riff that grows with volume and energy throughout the song. Go ahead and let your head nod harder and faster as the song picks up and gets louder and louder. Soon your windows are rattling and your grin grows uncomfortably. Don’t be scared; just let it pound your head and speakers so you can hang in the hoods!

Love is a Deserter sounds very much like the old B-52’s, as far as the guitar tone and riff. Alison says to “get the guns out” and she means it! How can murder sound so sexy? Maybe it’s her Tori Amos-ish breathy style on this song. I just love how raw this song is. Listen to the background noise at the middle stop, and hear Jamie’s hand lift of the strings just before the music comes back. There’s your classic blues feeling!

Dead Road 7 is a really cool and groovy slow tune that is very bass oriented. But the guitar comes in with a crescendo as Alison’s voice rises. Again, so raw with the little background noises you can hear like the hum of the amp, the slight miscues on the guitar. I love it, really! It reminds me of the slop that Jimmy Page used to throw together on old Zeppelin albums.

The Good Ones is the most upbeat track so far on this CD. Again with the pulsating bass that will rattle your windows. In the middle of the song, the guitars turn into machine guns, but just briefly. What good ones is she looking for? Hmm. Red or blue? Not sure!

I Hate The Way You Love has that early Devo feel to it. Do you think I would ever argue with a band that reminds me of Devo? Hardly! The song then moves to a completely different, quiet and slow beat with feedback towering over the vocals. It’s so different that it’s actually listed as a separate track.

At the Back of the Shell sounds like a U2 experiment. I love the hand clapping that keeps the beat. I also like the fact that it’s a duet. Great, simple, and really fun.

Sweet Cloud has a very bluesy feel to it with a pulsating bass and a monotone guitar playing over it.

Rodeo Town is not my favorite tune here, but it’s not something that I skip through. I guess it’s a little too pop for me and seems a tad out of place here.

Murdermile is sweet! Pounding bass with a cheap drum machine and guitars that again sound like early B-52’s. Both sing separately on this song, which I like as well.

Ticket Man reminds me of a White Stripes song – just a piano and Alison. It’s very simple with intertwining lyrics, but you’ll find yourself singing along.

Once you stick this in your CD player, you’ll have trouble pulling it out. And be sure to try the independent stores so you can get the DVD – it’s a very realistic look at what happens to people when success is very sudden. They are excited, exhausted, and scared at the same time. They share everything with us, including what it’s like to play for 4 total people at a club when the labels are trying to pump you up. It also does a good job of capturing a few amazing live performances!

4.5 out of 5!

Pat Angello Fan Club Music Blog - The Kills - No Wow

The Kills - No Wow