The Kills ‘Blood Pressures’

Words by Veronica Silva

The nonchalant sophisticated Brit, and seductive maniacal American rejoin forces in their 4th album Blood Pressures full of their distinctive, unfiltered lo-fi, bluesy, punk rock essence. Mr. Jamie Hince and Ms. Alison Mosshart give us everything a rock band should – artsy music videos, pseudonyms (Hotel and VV respectively), and loads of chemistry containing a strong, healthy dose of sexual tension, in addition to strutting the most envious, stylish digs on stage.

Their defining minimalistic tone and potent lyrics flood this album in a delicious way. Blood Pressures lays on such a heavy dose of swagger that only a band with a resume such as theirs could exude. “DNA” is an especially gloomy track in which Mosshart croons “My fire burned them out” perfectly suiting Hince’s brash, striking rhythm guitar. Mosshart is a Gothic Patsy Cline meets Nancy Sinatra in the lead single “Satellite” demanding, “Operator, operator, dial me back / Operator, put me through.” “Nail in My Coffin” gives us some rather gritty vocals with VV exclaiming “What you are to me is far too unclear” and a chorus requesting “Quit being a nail in my coffin and I don’t need another one”.

You can’t help but envy the cool they ooze. Mosshart stands tall next to the big boys while fronting The Dead Weather and returns to Hince, her main man, while demonstrating how impressive a songstress VV is. Mr. Hince, the soon to be Mr. Kate Moss, isn’t too shabby himself – he plucks out such raw, edgy reverberation maintaining a significant dark rhythm that lures the listener.

The Kills don’t stray too far from the formula that has proven true to form. And – if ain’t broke – don’t mess with it!