Which flavor of The Kills do you prefer? That’s what is going to determine whether or not your Blood Pressures are raised this week, and if you like the feeling. Do you like the ‘kick dirt on your shoes, bluesy attitude’ of Allison Mosshart (also, of Jack White’s The Dead Weather) and Jamie Hince, or their early brand of young, blistering pop? The time apart doesn’t seem to have affected their growth, in fact it’s us who benefit.

Blood Pressures is the fourth studio album from the duo, and it’s not without some deviation to the blues or pop formula. Their ‘original’ sound: minced up guitars over Mosshart’s vocals is still in play, and Mosshart’s pipes are stronger than ever on songs like “The Heart is a Beating Drum.” She also shows us a softer side on “The Last Goodbye.” Meanwhile, Jamie Hince contributed more than just killer guitar riff as he takes lead vocals on a psychedelic tune called “Wild Charms.”

“Baby Says” is a song can be a little tough to swallow. It’s dual vocals on a bed of the raucous lo-fi riffs that Hinson are known for. As for The Kills, Mosshart and Hince took a break from their work in this band, and Allison went on to record some beautiful music with the lo-fi master himself, Jack White. There’s no doubt that some of that influence shaped this record.

What we have now is a revitalized version of The Kills. The best song on the record is “Nail In my Coffin,” which is a spicy combination of toe-tapping drum machine and distorted synth, over a chorus of “Oh.” Simple enough, but insanely catchy.

The later tracks on the record didn’t deliver with the kind of punch I would have liked, but it didn’t deter me from playing it all the way through on more than one occasion.

Overall, you know what you are getting with The Kills. They continue to deliver enjoyable, interesting, lo-fi pop on their fourth effort. More importantly, they remain consistent. They’re a band that have created high-quality music together, and in our ‘one band a day falls apart’ world, that means something.

For those who are not original fans, Blood Pressures will be just another take on the ‘guy/girl in a band’ and they may move on to something softer or louder, like The XX or Sleigh Bells, respectively. But whether you totally adore Blood Pressures or you don’t, The Kills belong in the conversation.

The track-list for Blood Pressures, out yesterday:

01 Future Starts Slow
02 Satellite
03 Heart Is A Beating Drum
04 Nail In My Coffin
05 Wild Charms
06 DNA
07 Baby Says
08 Last Goodbye
09 Damned If She Do
10 You Don’t Own The Road
11 Pots and Pans