DO! NOT! EVER! HAVE! SEX! WITH! YOUR! BANDMATES…EVER! This is a basic rule of thumb when it comes to any band formation, regardless of how hot your drummer, guitarist, or singer may even be (bassists need not apply). But what if you thought about giving into those temptations, and while being badass enough to resist, created an entire band around resisting that forbidden fruit? Enter The Kills. Formed in 2001 by singer Allison “VV” Mosshart (who also sang for the swell Florida punk band Discount) and guitarist Jaime “Hotel” Hince and based out of New York City, The Kills would become known for their sultry, spicy and seductive sound that tread between Indie Rock, Blues Rock and just the right amount of electronic beats and programming to appeal to that crowd.
While never chart toppers, The Kills nonetheless found success through licensing (musicians take note), with their songs being used in a variety of TV shows and movies (most notably cinematic masterpieces “Children of Men” and “Gossip Girl”), and it helps to have one of the best Rock’n’Roll singers of the New Millennium in Allison Mosshart and one of music’s most versatile and soulful guitarists in Jaime Hince, who’s playing is instantly recognizable with just one note (A TRUE MARK OF GREATNESS). And that’s saying nothing of the songs themselves, which range from sweet ballads, to flirtatious, fiery rock songs that are both equally captivating. But with all this raw emotion, we must consider reason, which leads us to rank every The Kills’ album from least to most satisfying.
6. Blood Pressures (2011)
Toning down the punk and garage rock influences of prior releases, instead focusing on the Blues-Rock and some Hip-Hop influences, there is a sameness to these songs that detracts from the record as a whole. But that’s ok, every band goes through something of a midlife crisis, and there are worse ways to deal with it than monotony, and you must learn to deal with monotony to grow as a person. But the good ones here are just as good as anything The Kills have ever released, so while it’s not reinventing the wheel, it’s still solid as a record.
Play It Again: “The Last Goodbye”
Skip It: “You Don’t Own the Road”
5. Ash and Ice (2016)
Released in the year of Trump, the fifth Kills album neither breaks new ground or regresses at all, and it’s not a bad record (just like all their other releases), bit it feels too typical for a band who has spent their career being anything but. However, considering the shocking changes that changed the world forever after the death of Harambe that fateful morning at the Cincinnati Zoo, maybe this wasn’t the record we wanted, but the record we needed to ground ourselves from the shitstorm that was about to hit the world of politics and decency, with its typical but safe sound.
Play It Again: “Doing it to Death” (a fine way to go if you ask us)
Skip It: “Days of Why and How”
4. Keep On Your Mean Side (2003)
The Kills pounced onto the music scene in 2003 with this record, and unlike many debut albums, this one sees the band kick things off with their sound fully formed, just like a beast with two backs. But there’s nothing to back down from here, and the record keeps its promise by bringing in straight shooting, bluesy indie rock straight from New York and England, with Jaime Hince bringing that distinctively British Guitar playing back to its American Roots in sort of a reverse British Invasion, while Alison Mosshart expands from her days with Discount to become an absolute force of nature vocalist. A must listen for anyone who is an indie rock lover, this was the album that started it all.
Play It Again: “Fried My Little Brains”
Skip It: “Hand”
Honorable Mention: Little Bastards (2020)
A collection of B-Sides and outtakes, this compilation is actually pretty awesome, with some more experimental tracks when compared to the official releases. Every genre from acoustic, electronic, and everything in between, this album was released during the pandemic, possibly out of generosity, which is itself a form of love. This compilation is a perfect starting point for anyone looking to get into The Kills whether it be for a one-time session of fun, or a dedicated, long-term commitment.
3. God Games (2023)
Released almost a decade after “Ash and Ice,” and oh boy was this worth the wait. Satisfies like a hookup after a painful dry spell, this album draws from every era of “The Kills” in terms of sound, mood and most importantly, sexiness. Strutting in and giving Derek Zoolander level performance on the catwalk, after a long hiatus, the Kills deliver a “Magnum” opus level performance, and a welcome return after those dry years, and this record is a perfect extension of sounds the band perfected upon their debut.
Play It Again: “103”
Skip It: Unskippable
2. Midnight Boom (2008)
This album is a journey through the gamut of human emotion, and by this point in their career, The Kills had perfected their sound and were performing like two lovers in lockstep. “URA Fever” starts hot and heavy, and the rest of the album keeps that smokey vibe perfect for “Getting Down,” and you just can’t help but boogie to the tunes. While it may be a bit slower than its predecessor, sometimes slower means it’s all the sweeter, and that you should take the time to enjoy it.
Play It Again: “Black Balloon” (just some journalistic bias here, there really are no skips, you can take our word for it)
Skip It: I Would Do Many Things For Love, But I wouldn’t do THAT
1. No Wow (2005)
Originally supposed to be recorded on a MOOG synthesizer which broke right before the recording sessions, Alison and Jaime were forced to rearrange the album as their typically blues-tinted indie rock style to compensate for their technical difficulties. Possibly the best electronic record never made, but for sure it’s one of the best records to come out of the Indie Rock scene of the 2000s, meaner, and tougher than many of the acts, while also just as capable of being vulnerable and sensitive, marking The Kills as not just capable musicians, but lovers as well, and if you dislike this album, we may have to get the guns out, I say again, get the guns out.
Play It Again: Oh Yeah! All of it! That’s the Good Stuff! (especially the first three tracks, “No Wow,” “Your Love is A Deserter,” and “Dead Road 7”)
Skip It: DON’T STOP! OH YES! MORE!