The Kills’ latest proves they’re still strong

The number of band breakups, hiatuses and reunions that have been announced lately is dizzying.

It’s tough to sift through the number of bands that say they are ready to display the glory of their yesteryears or  to present a new sound and forget who’s back for real.

But whether you’re an alternative fan or not, one album you should not overlook in this whirlwind of change is Blood Pressures, an alluring, gritty album from The Kills, made up of VV, aka Alison Mosshart, and Hotel, aka Jamie Hince.

Despite a brief hiatus, the duo is as strong as ever. Mosshart’s previous involvement in the band The Dead Weather, which included Jack White, did not take away from her importance in The Kills, nor did it diminish the authentic spirit of the band.

Sass-ridden and fuzzy-chord-loving, Blood Pressures stays true to the Mosshart-Hince dynamic music fans are used to.

From start to end, Blood Pressures keeps to this style, showcasing the duo’s riveting instrumental rhythms and Mosshart’s distinctively rich voice.

The harmonies on the album continue to engage while hailing back to sounds from 2008’s Midnight Boom. There is a confidence and originality that makes each track ooze with a stage presence and up-front personality rarely captured anywhere but on a live set.

“Nail in My Coffin” starts off with edgy guitar chords and a biting drum beat. Soon, Mosshart’s voice cuts and steals the spotlight, both with its vocal gymnastics and with Mosshart’s saucy attitude.

The repetition of a nail in my coffin / and I don’t need another one, creates a catchy melody that weaves itself into the gritty guitar chords exploding in the background. Sure, the phrase is cliché, but Mosshart’s bold voice elevates this song to Kills greatness.

In an interview with Spin magazine, Hince admitted he felt Mosshart’s confidence was boosted from her time with The Dead Weather, during which she sang lead vocals over loud instrumentals.

That change is obvious, but there is also a newfound focus on Hince’s vocals. He even gets an entire track to himself — the markedly more mellow, short and dreamlike “Wild Charms.”

Sounding like something he would sing to his sweetheart, supermodel Kate Moss, the track feels a little jarring in the middle of the album.

But with the rough sounds of the entire album, the track‘s softer sound is like a soothing breath of cool air amidst the harsher sounds of the rest of the album.

Similarly, “The Last Goodbye” weakens the tempo. The track is not nearly as engaging as the others, and lines like How can I rely on my heart if I break it / with my own two hands, are robbed of their sentimentality by gratingly cheesy violin-esque sounds in the background.

But these two tracks are the only slip-ups in the album. The rest carries on the thrilling energy The Kills are so good at crafting.

The duo tops off the album with the bluesy “Pots and Pans,” a song that starts off with some clever lines about kitchen appliances and keeping a certain someone “cooking.” The perfect ending to a raucously enjoyable album, the song ends with the fitting line these are the days we’ll never forget / when the dawn dawns on you.

Side projects and supermodel girlfriends aside, Blood Pressures is a sure sign The Kills are back, and not only for the sake of making money from their reunion.

They are back to continue what they started.