Yahoo! Music Review

Released on 10/11/08
Label: Domino

One of the saddest aspects of modern celebrity culture is that it becomes almost impossible to remember why someone became famous in the first place. Way back when, pictures and column inches reflected an achievement, an artistic endeavour or a creative peak. In this context, the pangs of sympathy felt for The Kills aren't exactly misplaced as guitarist Jamie Hince is known more among the great unwashed for his turbulent lovelife with Kate Moss than he is for his music.

Clearly that's not right when Hince, along with his sultry band mate and vocalist Alison Mosshart, have fleshed out garage rock's framework into a beast pumped full of rhythmic tension and an attitude that drips with more than a hint of deviant behaviour.

"Tape Song" is another reminder of why the duo's third album, "Midnight Boom", remains one of the year's consistent highlights. This is music that pushes and pulls not only the listener but also the accepted norms of rock'n'roll and is at once jarring yet oddly comforting. Maintaining an ability to pop and rock, "Tape Song" goes some way to re-establishing their core ethics.

    by Julian Marszalek