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HorrorPops, 'Kiss Kiss Kill Kill'

Gothabilly trio serves up deadly retro fun with a punk twist

By Kirk Miller, Metromix

February 4, 2008

Critic's Rating:

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Backstory: Although rockabilly/ska/goth may sound like a scary (and overdone) musical combination, the Denmark-by-way-of-L.A. trio HorrorPops has still managed to attract a fervent following, thanks to their recent Warped Tour appearances and the theatrics of sexy, scary frontwoman Patricia Day. Think of her as the Bizarro World counterpart to Gwen Stefani…dark-haired, scary and certainly not willing to work with Pharrell.

Why you should care: While all the musical elements have been done before, HorrorPops give their old-school sound a lively kick. The ska-tinged “MissFit” cleverly evokes Madness (they sing “my fist/in the middle of your face” to the tune of “Our House”), while “Hitchcock Starlet” sounds like some great, lost film noir soundtrack. Add in some horns, a bit of New Wave and some killer choruses (see the title track), and “Kiss Kiss Kill Kill” may be one of the most diverse retro albums ever made.
 
Verdict: Everything that’s old is new again. While “Kiss Kiss Kill Kill” offers up nothing “new” per se, it does fuse a number of disparate elements into the year’s most enjoyable punk record.
 
X-Factor: Retro-minded or not, HorrorPops do not approve of your hair metal love. “Wished Bret Michaels was her date…why would anyone want to dress up like an ‘80s whore?” Day scowls during “Heading to the Disco?”—which may be a great song for next year’s “Rock of Love.”