Logo
DiS Needs You: Save our site »
  • Logo_home2
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • In Photos
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Community
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • Blog
  • Community

THIS SITE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED AND CLOSED.

Please join the conversation over on our new forums »

If you really want to read this, try using The Internet Archive.

The Kills

No Wow

Label: Domino Records Release Date: 31/10/2005

11608
leetle_john by John Winters November 3rd, 2005

Menacingly insistent, No Wow gets its point across like the best horror films; it’s all about what you don’t see. From the tense synthetic drums at the start to the escalated climax (_‘There ain’t no wow no more!’_) there has probably never been such focused use of stop start guitar and a measured dry vocal.

February’s sophomore long player was described across the board as spartan and spare, and it was with this titular album opener that Alison and Jamie (sorry, VV* and *Hotel) set out their stall. Ostensibly about being unimpressed, you can easily imagine it forming the soundtrack as something nasty stalks you down dark alleyways.

The bare elements songwriting is also a gift to remixers; in particular a Death From Above 1979 workover lends the tune an electronic sheen that will no doubt soon be a staple on Hoxton dancefloors. But try not to let that put you off – this is scary blues at its best.

  • 8
    John Winters's Score
Log-in to rate this record out of 10
Share on
   
Love DiS? Become a Patron of the site here »


LATEST


  • Why Music Journalism Matters in 2024


  • Drowned in Sound is back!


  • Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Year: 2020


  • Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter


  • Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing


  • Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alternative must sees



Left-arrow

Eels

The Trouble With Dreams

Mobback
11607
11610

The Rogers Sisters

Emotion Control

Mobforward
Right-arrow


LATEST

    news


    Why Music Journalism Matters in 2024

  • 106145
  • news


    Drowned in Sound is back!

  • 106143

    news


    Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Y...

  • 106141
  • news


    Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter

  • 106139

    Playlist


    Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing

  • 106138
  • Festival Preview


    Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alterna...

  • 106137

    Interview


    A Different Kind Of Weird: dEUS on The Ideal Crash

  • 106136
  • Festival Review


    Way Out East: DiS Does Sharpe Festival 2019

  • 106135
MORE


GREATEST HITS

    news


    Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite - In Conversation (...

  • 101471
  • Interview


    LA-LDN Story: Laura Marling

  • 99465

    feature


    DiSband #3: The Horrors

  • 28770
  • Interview


    DiS Obituary #2: The Crimea "Stay away from dru...

  • 91975

    Interview


    DiS meets Sharon Van Etten: "It's the same pian...

  • 95341
  • feature


    Portishead discuss Third

  • 34958

    review


    The Postal Service - Give Up

  • 3980
  • feature


    LCD Soundsystem: doesn't listen to new music, c...

  • 59082
MORE

Drowned in Sound
  • DROWNED IN SOUND
  • HOME
  • SITE MAP
  • NEWS
  • IN DEPTH
  • IN PHOTOS
  • RECORDS
  • RECOMMENDED RECORDS
  • ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
  • FESTIVAL COVERAGE
  • COMMUNITY
  • MUSIC FORUM
  • SOCIAL BOARD
  • REPORT ERRORS
  • CONTACT US
  • JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
  • FOLLOW DiS
  • GOOGLE+
  • FACEBOOK
  • TWITTER
  • SHUFFLER
  • TUMBLR
  • YOUTUBE
  • RSS FEED
  • RSS EMAIL SUBSCRIBE
  • MISC
  • TERM OF USE
  • PRIVACY
  • ADVERTISING
  • OUR WIKIPEDIA
© 2000-2025 DROWNED IN SOUND