Hot Stuff
Sexy, slick, shimmering ear candy, The Kills eagerly awaited new album kicks off with tunes that could shimmy shake the dead back to life with booming basslines and effervescent electro beats. Single, 'U.R.A Fever' begins the incendiary indie onslaught; it's a massive tune and a definite future dancefloor anthem. 'Cheap and Cheerful's flirty tone and snappy beats make it another instant hit with the catchy chorus, "I want you to be crazy 'cause you're boring when you're straight", followed by a militaristic smatter of snare drums.
The mellow, 'Getting Down' sees Jamie's vocals gaining prominence in a hushed, bluesy, brooding number that spills into the discordant disco guitar lines of 'Last Day Of Magic'. Like many of the tunes on this album, it's a fairly modest tune that uses little trickery to capture your heart but ends up being one of the most impassioned songs simply due to its effusive and melodically perfect chorus. Practically every song on the album would make a smart single choice, 'Tape Song' would definitely rock the airwaves with its simmering panting and smooth, sultry melody that's both paired down and revved up with a twinkling chorus.
There are the more obvious brash, blustery number brimming with confidence like, 'Hook And Line', while 'M.E.X.I.C.O.C.U' is a thrashing 2 minute slice of psychedelic surf rock with hand claps and catchy rhythm, if you can catch it in time! There's clattering tin can percussion in 'Sour Cherry', with the band bringing together as many different styles as possible to concoct lascivious moments of glittering brilliance
There are also moments of reflection and pensive tone such as, 'Black Balloon' with its ethereal vocal harmony and delicate, fluttering lyrical lines, and gentle closer, 'Goodnight Bad Morning', which allow a brief breather.
'Midnight Boom' is, in many ways, a more consistent album than 2005's 'No Wow' with a constant stream of classy and gritty new tunes that beckon the listener to their feet. It's certainly one of the standout releases of the 2008 so far; it's great to have our favourite earthy electro duo back.