The Kills, “Blood Pressures”(Domino)
Approaching today’s release of “Blood Pressures,” it seems like the Kills are facing the greatest challenge of their career. Not only are they coming off the career-defining “Midnight Boom”the 2008 record that solidified the duo as gritty rock royalty — but the album also follows singer Alison Mosshart’s lauded time in the Dead Weather.
Yes, this fourth Kills record has more expectations than ever. And yet somehow, Mosshart and bandmate Jamie Hince come through with a CD that triumphs as a natural follow-up to their back catalog and a smart alternative to Mosshart’s two albums with Jack White’s latest band.
While “Blood Pressures” doesn’t have the natural indie hits of “Boom,” it’s a solid LP that favors fuzzed-out guitars and stark percussion as much as its minimalist predecessors.
“Heart Is a Beating Drum” best displays this record’s highs and inadequacies. Mosshart’s vocals are a natural fit for this simple, ’60s-aping musical dynamic, but the song and its simple melody aren’t as memorable as past efforts.
CD-starter “Future Starts Slow” shows off the sexy interplay of their intertwined vocals. The mellower “Wild Charms” and “The Last Goodbye” provide keen balance for the group. And “Satellite” is the kind of sludgy, druggy jam you want to hear from this band, which is known for its sludgy, druggy shows. Ricardo Baca
The Chemical Brothers, “Hanna: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”(Black Lot Music)
You won’t read a review of the new “Hanna” soundtrack without mentions of Daft Punk and “Tron: Legacy,” so let’s get this out of the way.
Yes, Daft Punk’s “Tron” soundtrack was a smart move for the French producers. And the Chemical Brothers seem to be emulating that tie-in with their soundtrack to “Hanna,” the film that comes out Friday. (The soundtrack is out now on iTunes.) But the Chemical Brothers outperform their musical counterparts with a soundtrack that is richly layered and potently strange — and occasionally bangin’, too.
Whereas the “Tron” soundtrack only thrived after you’d seen the film (and the group’s role in the movie), the “Hanna” music works on its own. It’s a headphones album, something to run to. The Chemical Brothers know their way around a melody and manipulate that into a rich score of electronic music that isn’t afraid of circus-inspired ditties (“The Devil is in the Details”) and spooky lullabies (“The Sandman”).
At 20 tracks, there are surely a few fillers. But as the film’s trailer will testify — and it’s an engaging few minutes, if you haven’t seen it — the soundtrack’s energy is paramount to the action sequences. The Chemical Brothers proved they’re up to the task with songs such as “Hanna vs. Marissa” and “Escape Wavefold.” Plus “Hanna’s Theme” might be the best Chemical Brothers track in the last 10 years. Ricardo Baca
