Midnight Boom - The Kills

The Kills' Midnight Boom is a thumping energetic record; ostensibly seems to have been deliberately made all cool, and it works well. With haphazard guitars, sounds that burst out through quiet lingering moments into a cloud of shivering energy, and tip-topping reveries about random lovers and tornadoes - it endears itself to the listener.

Arguably some of the best songs of the album have thrumming beats that spring out of nowhere, literally blasting off the stereo a la Beck, with sexy drawls by Alison Mosshart, and vocalist and guitarist Jamie Hince giving her company. The music rises and rises, and dies off suddenly. Intriguing. This is best heard in "Last Day of Magic" and "Hook And Line". In the latter, Alison is the dominatrix surveying over the dark night, simultaneously surfing and purring over the ringing music.

Try your best in your heavy shape/ Keep it quiet, keep it cool/ Lipstick letters and souvenirs/ Make a mockery of your fears.

In the jangle of "Last Day of Magic", Alison and Jamie engage in a fabulous vocal dance amid smashing electric guitars, distorted and primitive electronics, and machine thuds. "What New York Used To Be" tries to carry the tradition and seems to play it well, only to die off, limp and boring. The best moments of the song are when it veers of the familiar bass line, and intrigues with a unfamiliar sound loop- unfortunately that is not for long.

One of the best songs of the album is everyone's favourite - U.R.A. Fever, a lingering sing-along that has an addictive background beat, distorted guitars, loping bass and the click clap of telephones. The Kills are nouveau-cool, and "Cheap and Cheerful" is another testament to this sound. It has some ingenious sound trickery, provocative lyrics, and an addictive bass line. A hectoring band playing in the background, and Alison's vocal tricks make the song a great listen.

"I want you to be crazy 'coz you're borin' baby when you're straight I want you to be crazy 'coz you're stupid baby when you're sane"

The Kills are weakest, and admittedly most boring, when they are slow. Its like the dirty lazy morning after the rowdy high of night. Listen to "Goodnight Bad Morning" and you will miss the night. The Kills mysterious, sometimes dark, yet energetic and groovy music is the alternate for cool. If you liked the earlier albums, this one will just suck you in more into their sleek underworld.

Track Listing:

1. "U.R.A. Fever"
2. "Cheap and Cheerful"
3. "Tape Song"
4. "Getting Down"
5. "Last Day of Magic"
6. "Hook and Line"
7. "Black Balloon"
8. "M.E.X.I.C.O."
9. "Sour Cherry"
10. "Alphabet Pony"
11. "What New York Used to Be"
12. "Goodnight Bad Morning"
13. "Night Train" (UK Download Bonus Track)

Listen to a track from the album here: