Fronted by the gorgeous two-part vocal harmonies of singers Chris Turpin (‘a man who sounds’ - according to NME – ‘like he’s been gargling glass for fun – in a good
Fronted by the gorgeous two-part vocal harmonies of singers Chris Turpin (‘a man who sounds’ - according to NME – ‘like he’s been gargling glass for fun – in a good way’) and Stephanie Ward, the lyrical intimacy of the songs is rendered all the more powerful by the interplay between the pair, Turpin’s distinctive voice seemingly arriving from another time and place, while Ward’s softer, huskier tones make for the perfect foil. Buttressed with strings, keys and slide guitar, Kill It Kid blend delta blues and roots to striking effect, producing blistering rock’n’roll in one moment and a smoky film-noire ambience in the next. The band have drawn comparison with The Coral, Mumford & Sons and The Raconteurs with recognisable hints of Tom Waits, Frank Zappa and Zeppelin, but it’s on the strength of the song writing throughout their debut album that the deal is ultimately sealed. Kill It Kid’s critical reputation grew through the course of 2009 as the likes of Jonathan Ross, Tom Robinson, Dermot O’Leary & Huw Stephens gave their support to the band, inviting them in for a raft of live sessions (incl. Radio 2 & Radio 1’s Maida Vale). In October 2009 the band’s ‘Heaven Never Seemed So Close’ single pipped The Big Pink in the vote, winning Steve Lamacq’s ‘Roundtable’ show and the band also finished in the final 10 of XFM’s New Music Award in the company of Florence and the Machine and The XX.
Fronted by the gorgeous two-part vocal harmonies of singers Chris Turpin (‘a man who sounds’ - according to NME – ‘like he’s been gargling glass for fun – in a good way’) and Stephanie Ward, the lyrical intimacy of the songs is rendered all the more powerful by the interplay between the pair, Turpin’s distinctive voice seemingly arriving from another time and place, while Ward’s softer, huskier tones make for the perfect foil. Buttressed with strings, keys and slide guitar, Kill It Kid blend delta blues and roots to striking effect, producing blistering rock’n’roll in one moment and a smoky film-noire ambience in the next. The band have drawn comparison with The Coral, Mumford & Sons and The Raconteurs with recognisable hints of Tom Waits, Frank Zappa and Zeppelin, but it’s on the strength of the song writing throughout their debut album that the deal is ultimately sealed. Kill It Kid’s critical reputation grew through the course of 2009 as the likes of Jonathan Ross, Tom Robinson, Dermot O’Leary & Huw Stephens gave their support to the band, inviting them in for a raft of live sessions (incl. Radio 2 & Radio 1’s Maida Vale). In October 2009 the band’s ‘Heaven Never Seemed So Close’ single pipped The Big Pink in the vote, winning Steve Lamacq’s ‘Roundtable’ show and the band also finished in the final 10 of XFM’s New Music Award in the company of Florence and the Machine and The XX.
