A&E

If The Kills were any other band, headlines like “Guitarist Engaged to Kate Moss” wouldn’t matter. The publicity would perhaps net an extra thousand records sales, but such news would be a sideline to their music. The Kills, however, are a different breed.

The duo, vocalist Alison “VV” Mosshart and Jamie “Hotel” Hince, believe their music is a reflection of every facet of their creativity. When the two record an album, they head to the studio armed with journals, sketch books and photographs. To maintain the integrity of their musical identity, The Kills must preserve the creativity that propels them. This is why, at least for this band, tabloid headlines really do matter. For two people who have maintained a staunch anti-industry stance, Hince’s intimate involvement with supermodel Kate Moss is an artistically compromising act. Party on, but the music won’t be as good.

The near-palpable sexual tension in their previous albums made The Kills fun to listen to. However, in Midnight Boom, their latest album, this dynamic has been supplemented by apathetic detachment–a result of their increasing commercial success. In the opening song “U.R.A. Fever,” jarring dial tones and heavy beats from their drum machine set the momentum. For someone in love, Hince still sounds awfully cynical: “Go ahead and have her/ Go ahead and leave her/ You only had her when you were a fever.” This song is one of the strongest and most defined of the album. Another is “Last Day of Magic,” and its stripped down rock elements carry the weight of the song’s lonely lyrics.

The Kills have always pushed towards a stark sound. Each album has produced darker and more elemental tracks. Yet in Midnight Boom, the minimalism approaches hollowness. If The Kills intend to strip their music down to its skin and bones, they have neglected to grant listeners a glimpse at their music’s heart. Maybe it’s not there.

It’s not that “VV” or “Hotel” have tried too hard or not hard enough. As they absorb more and more of the industry, they have allowed themselves to lose their only defining factor: the intimacy of their internal creative connections. This makes the record more mainstream, but less substantive. Thus, this record won’t necessarily change your life, but it will entertain you for 34 minutes.