Blood Pressures - The Kills
Metascore
76 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
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  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Apr 8, 2011
    91
    The blues-punk duo builds another near masterpiece. [8 Apr 2011, p.59]
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  2. musicOMH.com
    Apr 5, 2011
    90
    It's an album that deserves the limelight, regardless of how it got there.
  3. Clash Music
    Apr 4, 2011
    90
    Dirty, loud and intimidatingly sexy, Blood Pressures is the result of a year spent apart - Hince's adventures in sound provide the album's thick production, while Mosshart's stint as Dead Weather frontwoman instils further confidence and swagger in her provocative lyrics.
  4. Billboard.com
    Apr 19, 2011
    87
    Bluesier and less electronic than its predecessor, "Blood Pressures" is by far the Kills' most accomplished and diverse set yet.
  5. Paste Magazine
    Apr 4, 2011
    86
    Blood Pressures mixes heavy, gainy hard-rocking guitars with a whole lot of making love to the mic.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 28 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Hackskeptic
    6
    Well, there are a few odd turns, but "Blood Pressures" is pretty much the same amalgam of raw, tense, amateurish delivery that's been conveyed throughout their career. Mosshart has undoubtedly improved her skills over the years and can perform a fairly convincing torch singer's touch ("The Last Goodbye") along with her usual tortured moans. By contrast, when Hince steps up to sing on the turgid "Wild Charms" one suggests he should concentrate solely on instrumental duties.Leaving behind the more dance oriented rhythms of "Midnight Boom", and although aiming for the carnal blues rock of "No Wow" there's a cleaner, less energised feel to the record. The cod reggae of "Satellite" sounds like it's powered by Prozac, and the resignation in Mosshart's vocal on "DNA" suggests minimal enthusiasm to the cause. She saves her best performance for "The Last Goodbye"; a melancholic piano ballad that resonates with an emotional intensity rarely found on the rest of this collection. For fans, "Blood Pressures" is a fine if sanitized version of former glories. With all the activity away from the band, one wonders if hooking up once again was more obligatory than inspirational, and may explain the tame, uninspired nature of this recording. http://hackskeptic.com… Full Review »
  2. Tom-A-Pope
    8
    Blood Pressures is not their best album (I'd say that distinction goes to Midnight Boom) but for those of us who can't enough Mosshart in our lives, this album should fill the void until the Dead Weathers next album.… Full Review »
  3. MG4390
    5
    The Kills were a band that I never listened to until I heard The Dead Weather. I don't love The Dead Weather, but I liked them enough to want to check out this other band Alison Mosshart was in. To be completely honest, a lot of the songs on this album just didn't resonate with me. There is nothing bad on the album, but not much that is particularly great for me either. The one exception would be 'The Last Goodbye' which is a simple yet emotional piano ballad that is unlike anything else on the album. Maybe I need to start at the beginning of this band's career to get into them, but this album definitely didn't get me on the bandwagon.… Full Review »
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