No Wow
The Kills · 2005
40 min · 11 tracks · indie rock
A gritty blend of raw guitar riffs and sultry vocals, encapsulating the tension and allure of modern love.
Top tracks — play these first
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No Wow — The title track perfectly embodies the album's ethos with its driving beat and edgy lyrics that tackle themes of disillusionment and desire.
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Love Is a Deserter — This track showcases the band's ability to combine catchy melodies with dark themes, reflecting the emotional complexity present throughout the album.
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Murdermile — Murdermile stands out with its haunting atmosphere and vivid storytelling, illustrating the band's knack for crafting compelling narratives within their music.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The Kills blend gritty instrumentation with compelling vocal dynamics, making this a standout in the garage rock revival.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a punchy title track that sets a fast pace, which is maintained through the first half before slowing down in the latter tracks.
- Vocals often alternate between a sultry whisper and a raw shout, creating a dynamic tension throughout the record.
- Several tracks feature repetitive guitar riffs that serve as a backdrop for lyrical exploration of love and conflict.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo groove throughout
- raw intimacy in every track
- restless energy for late nights
- consistent flow for focused listening
Maybe skip if you
- prefer instant gratification tracks
- seek varied pacing and dynamics
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in January 2005, No Wow was The Kills' second album, following their debut, Keep on Your Mean Side. At this point in their career, the band had started to gain traction within the garage rock revival scene, cultivating a reputation for their energetic live performances and distinctive sound.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs· The White Stripes· Interpol
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 No Wow / Telephone Radio Germany 4:47
- 2 Love Is a Deserter 3:48
- 3 Dead Road 7 3:23
- 4 The Good Ones 3:29
- 5 I Hate the Way You Love 3:37
- 6 I Hate the Way You Love, Part 2 1:46
- 7 At the Back of the Shell 2:27
- 8 Sweet Cloud 5:06
- 9 Rodeo Town 4:24
- 10 Murdermile 4:25
- 11 Ticket Man 2:49
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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