Mister Trend's Random 10

"Alphabet Pony" is off the Kills' new album, Midnight Boom. I loved the Kills' raw, sexual primitivism on their previous two albums, but wondered how long they could make it last. They still have a raw sexiness that is all too rare in rock today on the new album, but they really branch out their sound, and singer W's voice has definitely gained more emotion (including a mournful cooing on "Black Balloon," and a really fun list of declarations of what different things used to be on "What New York Used to Be"). Alphabet Pony is a concise, rowdy rocker more in step with the first two albums (Keep on Your Mean Side, and No Wow), but it doesn't sound redundant, and is just one highlight from an album that's top-notch and fun from top to bottom. Midnight Boom is definitely my early leader for "album of 2008," and I highly, highly recommend it (and their other 2 albums, if you haven't heard them).

1. "Carro de Boi" - Milton Nascimento
2. "Wasted State of Mind" - ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
3. "Etude IV" - Philip Glass
4. "Impressions" - John Coltrane
5. "What It Means" - Mates of State
6. "Pressure Zone" - Beck
7. "Alphabet Pony" - The Kills
8. "Schunkel" - Mouse on Mars
9. Symphony No. 4 in F. Minor, Op. 36 - II. Andantino in modo di canzona - Peter Tchaikovsky
10. "Guilty" - The Bad Plus