“DNA”
from the album Blood Pressures
2011
iTunes
It’s been three years since the last Kills album, a time span singer Alison Mosshart filled by moonlighting in the Dead Weather and guitarist Jamie Hince spent in tabloid land with supermodel fiancée Kate Moss. Returning for Blood Pressures, the duo prove they haven’t lost any of their chemistry.
As always, they opt for programmed beats over live drums, an odd choice for a rock band but one that helps create their repetitive, blues-based groove. That classic Kills sound remains mostly intact, especially on standouts “Future Starts Slow” and “DNA,” whose stop-start riffs act as a great springboard for Mosshart’s sexy rasp.
They do try to mix up their formula, a move that pays off when subtly employed (the reggae textures in “Satellite,” for instance) but fails in the big, obvious spots. The drumless balladry of “Wild Charms” and “The Last Goodbye,” while pretty on their own, ultimately halt the album’s flow.