Customer Reviews

Midnight Boom

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've been fan of the Kills since Keep on Your Mean Side. I listened to that album and heard a great foundation that could be built upon. They took a slightly different direction with No Wow, but they were steadily crafting their sound.

And then I heard news of Midnight Boom. I was excited, but many questions ran through my mind. Would they take what they've done so well and improve upon it some more? Would they go in a total different direction? Would they repeat what they've done on their first two albums? Would they completely flop?

Well, I can say without a doubt that this is their most accomplished album to date and it's the quintessential Kill's record people should own. It's fun, dark, and rockin' all at the same time. For people who've been listening to the Kills since their first two albums, this is that "home run" album that we've been waiting for. And for people who haven't heard of the Kills previous music, this is definitely the best place to start. I can't wait to see them in concert in May.

If you're in a rock band and you're going to date a super model, your music had better be good or you're simply giving more fodder to the press. Just ask Pete Doherty.

Actually, Mr. Doherty does have a link, albeit a wobbly one with Brit/American duo The Kills. Guitarist Jamie Hince is dating Doherty's ex, Kate Moss, assuring them ample space in the British tabloids.

"Midnight boom" is their third album (I was introduced to their sound when I got their sophomore "No wow") and it features more of their edgy, electro rock sound. They get compared to The White Stripes simply because they comprise a boy/girl duo.

Opening is the droning throbbing ""U.R.A. fever (you're a fever, with the pair trading lines) followed by the hand-clap adorned groovy "Cheap and cheerful". It reminds me a wee bit of the groovy "Born to hand jive" from "Grease".

"Tape song" is a gently pulsing ballad that wouldn't sound of place on a Garbage CD as does the beautiful "Black balloon" (with Alison Mosshart turning in a crystal clear, yearning performance).

More upbeat are the jangly "Last day of magic", "Hook and line", the drum kit-demolishing "M.E.X.I.C.O.U." (nice girl group sound), the hand-clap (this seems to be a new trend, what with The Ting tings doing it too) adorned "Sour cherry" (with syncopated beats), the eerie but bouncy "Alphabet pony", and the distorted sounds of "What New york used to be".

Closing is the tender acoustic "Goodnight bad morning" with Hince providing subtle harmonies for Mosshart's vocals. Lovely piano tinkling also.

A strong CD that should keep them in the public eye long after the tabloids tire of the Moss liaison.

I liked both of the Kills earlier albums -- KEEP ON YOUR MEAN SIDE and NO WOW -- but didn't think that they were so excellent that I needed another one. Lord, was I ever wrong. MIDNIGHT BLOOM is not merely a huge leap forward, but is one of the best rock albums of 2008. While the first two albums were excellent in every way, there was a bit of monotonous sameness that crept in as you listened to them in their entirety. They were best listened to in hunks, not wholes. MIDNIGHT BLOOM is diversely textured from beginning to end, with far more nuance to the arrangements and a wonderful diversity to the songs, without losing any of their hard edge.

The Kills are a duo like the White Stripes, except that they rely on recordings of Hotel aka Jamie Hince drumming with VV aka Alison Mosshart doing the bulk of the vocals. But they don't sound anything like White Stripes. They frequently have moments that remind me of PJ Harvey or the Pixies. Live they are extremely minimalistic, but MIDNIGHT BLOOM is deeply layered with a host of bells and whistles that can only exist in a studio. In listening to many of the album's cuts you might think that there would be no way that they could translate many of the songs to a stage performance, but it is amazing how completely they make the transition.

I could -- and will -- tick off what I think are the album's best songs, but what impresses me is that it really is a good album. The various cuts reinforce each other. I won't say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, but all the parts do their work. For instance, "Black Balloon" is almost delicate and meditative compared to what precedes it, but the next cut, "M.E.X.I.C.O.," is a hard driving rocker. "Sour Cherry" is a masterpiece of rock minimalism combined with unorthodox percussion, with a sassy attitude ("I'm the only sour cherry on the fruit stand"). The first two cuts on the album, "U.R.A. Fever" and "Cheap and Cheerful" are great singles that set the tone for everything that comes. The song that follows, "The Tape Song," might objectively be as great a song, but I enjoyed it perhaps just as much. "What New York Used to Be" is a killer penultimate cut leading into the soft-edged "Goodnight Bad Morning" puts the album to bed.

If you love indie rock you have to have this album. That's all there is to it.

The Kills previous album was just OK to me (great songs beside boring ones), so when a hip hop DJ recommended this one to me, naturally I was a bit confused. However, I bought it after hearing the sound clips, and the second I pressed play It was like punk rock dance time all the way to the end. Midnight Boom makes CSS and Le Tigre (among others) look like they might have missed the point somewhere along the way. Le Tigre interrupt the party by trying to have a "message," like Christian metal stopping to preach, and CSS can sometimes turn into the South American equivalent of Ween at times when their meaningless lyrics become painful. Midnight Boom is more filled with lyrics that might mean something, but mostly keep their meanings to themselves. Also, I think it's really cool to finally hear that "after-tone" Fugazi-ish guitar style actually enjoying time spent with a drum machine. Hopefully it will work for you, because for me it's a contender for album-of-the-year.

The Kills-Midnight Boom *****

"I want you to be crazy 'cos you're boring baby when your straight, I want you to be crazy 'cos you're stupid baby when your straight."

To say Midnight Boom is a great album is a severe understatement, and while it is early, it must be said that this is now, and chances are will be at the end of the year, the best of 2008. vocalist Alison "VV" Mosshart tag-teamed with Jamie "Hotel" Hince's original guitar work make The Kills one of modern musics greatest teams. Her soft angelic vocals, aside his recall classic Kim Deal and Francis early Pixies, and Sonic Youth when soulful. Bliss. The techno-blues/punk is one of the most refreshing things ever created, and this their third album is one of the most raw, and incoherent things that I have ever heard, and I wish more than anything thing else in the history of music that I had created this.

'U.R.A. Fever' is a cheerleader chant in the middle of of armageddon. 'Tape Song' is indescribable, and not memorable after it's off but when it's on you become transfixed. 'Last Day Of Magic' is stunning in the same way that The Pixies' 'Where Is My Mind' was at the end of Fight Club. 'Hook In Line' is the radio equivalent of the original SNL cast known then as the not ready for prime time players. 'M.E.X.I.C.O.' is short, punishing, and more intense than a night of great sex. 'Sour Cherry' is Jack White wishes he could do.

Incendiary isn't the right word, just the first one to come to mind.

I got this album last week and, listening to it, I couldn't find a single song I wanted to skip - it's that good, but it's also that brief (around 35 minutes). Brevity is a good thing in this case - one of those albums that you'll be putting on to get going and before you know it, you're singing along because it gets your blood going and your feet tapping and you're listening to it lying down and the muscles in your legs start to ache because of the beats (it can get kind of obsessive listening to it, as well) getting your toes to tapping. Maybe it's because of their move to Domino (Clinic and Franz Ferdinand have been once and/or future lablemates), but this is their most rhythmic and quite possibly one of the sexiest albums of the still young year (The Breeders and Portishead are in the Final Four here).

I work at a radio station and for every good album we get in, there's 100 lousy ones. This was my first dose of the Kills though and this album is pure gold if I've ever heard it.

The Kills are blues rock but that's not giving them enough justice. They incorporate a lot of different sounds/styles. The best way I can describe it is The White Stripes + Clinic + Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Straight from the sexy opener "U.R.A. Fever" you get a taste of what you're in for. You feel instantly cooler just listening to it, then you get hit with the album's single "Cheap and Powerful" which is just begging to be remixed and sent to the dancefloor but sounds great as is as well.

"Tape Song" won me over with its sweet guitar effects, especially the solo.

"Last Day Of Magic" is probably my favorite off the album. Its sort of cheerful sounding while still being dirty and you'll be singing "my little tornado, my little hurricane-o" all day long.

"What New York Used To Be" has a great vibe to it and kind of reminds me of Peaches.

I could rave about nearly every track but I'll spare you. Just get this album, you won't be disappointed.

This album is so crazy-cool, so crazy-catchy it hurts! The songs are simple and fun and the lyrics are crazy-fun too. Alison Mosshart is a very charismatic singer and drummer/guitarist/vocalist Jamie Hence has a real knack for hooky songwriting - they both do! I wasn't completely sold on this band at first but they totally won me over on this album with its quirky electronic touches, rockin beats and hooky melodies.

Breakdown!

"U.R.A. Fever" - starts off really laid-back with sluggish/cool vocals and soon becomes a steady, swaggering minimalist beat with electronic injections and phone noises. "Laughing like a seagull" - ?! LTM "We are a fever/ We ain't born typical" - so true! ****1/4

"Cheap And Cheerful" - "I want you to be crazy cuz yer boring baby when you are straight" - the album picks up the pace with this great beat and sexy vocals from Mosshart. ****1/2

"Tape Song" - "You got to go steel ahead!" . . . sometimes the lyrics you think you hear are even cooler than the real ones. Quirky, jerky and mechanical, this is neo-New Wave heaven. Mosshart blasts it way over the top! *****+

"Getting Down" - Jamie takes the lead vocal on this groover with subtle, down-tuned acoustic guitar chugging along to an insistent drum beat and "uh-uh-uh-uh-oww-owws." ****

"Last Day of Magic" - the grooviest, most addictive song of the bunch. Great guitar, love the chord changes. "A little tornado/ A little hurricane-o" . . . love the way they just sing whatever the F they want. *****+

"Hook & Line" - one of the heaviest cuts. Full of distorted guitar, it's a decent song but far from the best. ***1/4

"Black Balloon" - a mellower tune and one of the album's best melodies. Interesting percussion and a heavenly "middle 8." *****

"M.E.X.I.C.O." - Kicks off with some clangy, abrasive guitar, this one's punky and pumped full of energy, plus it's punk rock short. ***3/4

"Sour Cherry" - "Am I the only sour cheery on your fruit stand?" Tons of creative percussion sounds (which is pretty much true of all these songs). Love the way they have a blast throwing around all these nonesense vocals. ***3/4

"Alphabet Pony" - This one annoyed me a little when I first heard it (as did a few others) but I'm into it now. Love the squelchy synth bass (or whatever's making those bass lines). ****

"What New York Used To Be" - a wigged-out synth intro morphs into a super-catchy tune with Mosshart rattling off some fast-paced lyrics until she laments about what love/art/drugs/T.V./etc. used to be. This track is totally addictive! *****+

"Goodnight Bad Morning" - the mellowest tune here with acoustic guitar, spare percussion, spare piano and some stray electric guitar. A sweet album closer. ****1/4

good songs, good alternative rock, I like the tempo very much, keep on going, write and play more songs,
so we can listen to them, when I drive in my car I listen to the Kills!

Boom goes the bass in this one. I love blasting my stereo to it. The Kills are a genius rock band and this album shows their power. The guys from the U.K., she's American, and now she's in an even better band Horehound