Fortuitous timing

(Morning Star, Saturday 12 February 2005)

LIVE: The Kills, Lemon Tree, Aberdeen

THE Kills came along at a fairly fortuitous time in the world of music.

Retro is in. Male-female duos are in. Tune-distorting feedback is in - and these are the makings of the transatlantic band The Kills.

Guitarist-vocalist Jamie Hince comes on rocking with the full-on Domino Records standard look - all retro blazer and messed-up Coxon-like mop.

Vocalist-guitarist Alison Mosshart is lithe-hipped and long-haired, with a growl to make PJ Harvey cower in shame and the most unearthly dancing since Kate Bush hung up her red shoes.

The band's first album, Keep on Your Mean Side, is in fine evidence here, with high point Cat's Claw getting an outing early doors and single Fried My Little Brains garnering a fantastic response from the crowd.

With this tour in sponsorship of the newly released No Wow, it's clear that the fans have journeyed with them onto the difficult second album - and they love it.

The act between former lovers Alison and Jamie is a sexually charged theatre as they thrash their bodies into each other and finish one track with a violent kiss.

As fascinating for their onstage antics as their music, this is, sadly, where they let us down a little - after all, the music should be enough.

But it would be a terrible crime not to admit it - The Kills are one of the best bands around today. And it ain't just cause they got lucky.