Synopsis

The Kills deliver a confrontational performance in a stark, highly stylized setting. Alison Mosshart prowls and spits out the song's rebellious lines while Jamie Hince appears alongside her with guitar in hand. Rapid edits, extreme close-ups, harsh lighting and deliberately unruly gestures give the promo a feverish, almost hostile energy. Rather than following a conventional narrative, the video turns the duo's attitude into the subject, matching the track's rejection of conformity with an abrasive, chaotic visual style.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made for the second single from the Kills' third album, *Midnight Boom*, which was released in 2008.

• In a later interview, Alison Mosshart said that the band had notebooks full of ideas for their videos with Sophie Muller, but often improvised once filming began. She specifically included "Cheap and Cheerful" among the videos made this way.

• Contemporary trade coverage described the promo as a New York-shot production.

• The song's sound marked a shift for the Kills, combining their abrasive guitar style with a more dance-oriented, militaristic beat. The album's production also involved Alex Epton, known as Armani XXXchange.

• "Cheap and Cheerful" was used during the opening sequence of the *House* episode "Lucky Thirteen," broadcast on October 21, 2008.

• The track was also included on the soundtrack of the 2008 video game *NHL 09*.