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Rating: In the vast British music scene, where room is now mostly for young bands "boosted" by NME magazine (mostly in a very reckless way), I would like to focus attention on a group, or rather a duo, that is emerging to general attention without particular journalistic help.
It is about the Anglo-American couple The Kills, reaching their third studio album titled Midnight Boom. This album marks the definitive consecration for Jamie Hince and the splendid and talented Allison Mosshart, the two offer their classic rock, at times garage-punk, with the perfect symbiosis between Mosshart's voice, Jamie's guitar, and some electronic effect here and there.
The record opens with what I consider the standout track of the album that best distinguishes the musical identity of the group... I’m talking about U.R.A. FEVER, a very particular track that, thanks to its very aggressive and sexy atmosphere, engages from the very first listen. Song number 2 is the equally shocking and engaging Cheap and Cheerful, I would dare to say an absolute novelty in The Kills’ sound, which with its rhythm that often spills over into something extremely danceable on any dancefloor turns out to be a more than successful experimentation attempt.
Following these first gems on the album are two more excellent tracks to highlight in red: the excellent Tape Song where Allison's vocal qualities emerge to the fullest and the call to rival band Yeah Yeah Yeahs is remarkable, followed by Last Day Of Magic, a piece that, from the title alone, hints at being absolutely special and will not leave listeners disappointed.
But the album also features more intimate moments of the band with the two ballads with dark and mysterious tones Black Baloon (according to many the true gem of the entire album) and the conclusive track Good Night Bad Morning, a fitting closure for an album that rightly places itself among the ultra-positive notes of this somewhat unsatisfying musical period for English speakers (allow me the term). It's a shame that bands of this kind have little prominence in the beautiful country where Vasco Rossi and Gigi D'Alessio prevail (I don't even write their names in capital letters, it would be too much)... a bit pathetic, don't you think? Well, if you think so, The Kills with Midnight Boom will not disappoint you, and for 33 electrifying minutes you will feel like you're in the coolest pubs and clubs of London!
Track-list: 1) URA fever - 2) Cheap and Cheerful - 3) Tape Song - 4) Getting Down - 5) Last Day Of Magic - 6) Hook and Line - 7) Black Baloon - 8) M.E.X.I.C.O. - 9) Sour Cherry - 10) Alphabet Pony - 11) What NY used to be - 12) Good Night Bad Morning
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Cheap and Cheerful (02:26)
I'm bored of cheap and cheerful
I want expensive sadness
Hospital bills, parole
Open doors to madness
I want you to be crazy
'Cause you're boring baby when you're straight
I want you to be crazy
'Cause you're stupid baby when you're sane
I'm sick of social crazes
Show your sharp tipped teeth
Lose your cool in public
Did the legal meet
'Cause love is just a dialogue
You can't survive on ice-cream
You got the same needs as a dog
It's alright (it's alright)
To be mean (to be me)
It's alright (it's alright)
To be mean (to be me)
I want you to be crazy
'Cause you're boring baby when you're straight
I want you to be crazy
'Cause you're stupid baby when you're sane
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By portland
The Kills churned out 'Midnight Boom,' rightfully gluing themselves to the podium of my mental, but above all, emotional hitlist.
‘Last Day Of Magic’ is, in my opinion, the best song on the album: delightful sound, captivating verses and meter, and Allison’s voice that can’t leave you indifferent.
