Before Kiss Me Deadly was making danceable punk opening for Bloc Party, they were just another post-punk quartet. Back in 2002 Montreal was sounding a lot like Washington D.C. Kiss Me Deadly hailing from the great white north combined the sounds of the Fugazi D.C. punk scene, indie shoegazing, and a hint of the riot grrl movement. Emily Elizabeth's sweet vocals combined with Adam Poulin's near prefect Guy Picciotto like vocals combine everything great about bands like Fugazi and Sleater Kinney.
On Lovango is a song about an alcoholic's choice between a drink and a love. Elizabeth sings with an angered intensity, that evokes the sprit of the early 90s riot grrls. It also helps that Poulin compliments the angered spirit with a subtle gentle touch that makes you feel for this alcoholic.
Anti is where the band shows their true influence. Fugazi is the band's main underlying inspiration. Its most obvious on Anti, here they tell the tale of conforming to what society wants you to be through the use of television. Poulin scream "the ads are shown to me/and I'll wear their brand," you are almost certain Ian Mackaye sang about this years ago.
There is something different about Kiss Me Deadly that sets them apart from their mentors though. It may be that just the combination of certain elements of punk, shoegazing, and thought provoking lyrics. Painkillers combines the herky jerky punk vocals with a shoegazing guitar riff that will have you hypnotized. Although they don't bore the listener either by overly using hypnotic riffs. On songs like Fanning the Fire and Epicure Kiss Me Deadly bring the in your face punk attitude to the forefront.
Although Kiss Me Deadly's sound has evolved to the more radio friendly, and ever growing dance punk, on Travel Light Kiss Me Deadly were reliving what was so great about the alternative rock explosion of the early 90s. Who can blame them that was a great time in rock music. Now that Kiss Me Deadly has found a sound that is their own it will make a nice addition to the Bloc Party/Franz Ferdinand soaked scene. |