After the synth-pop return of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs last year, another cult band of the 2000s has returned with The Kills. Although Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince have used more keyboard instruments and sometimes synthetic strings on their seventh album, »God Games« is no departure from brutal guitar riffs, cool rock-star poses or minimalist bangers. »New York« gets off to a powerful start and the pissed-off »Wasterpiece« stoically stomps through the same four chords, but in between The Kills have at least discovered mid-tempo, electronic gimmicks and previously untapped sources of inspiration. The third member of the band, »little bastard«, as they affectionately call their trusty drum machine, pumps out slow, deep trip-hop beats on »Love And Tenderness« and »Bullet Sound«, while the vocals of the Compton Kidz Club Choir enrich the songs »LA Hex« and »My Girls My Girls«. However, the use of the choir and »God« in the title does not make The Kills god-fearing converts and churchgoers, but rather creators of »godless spirituals«. The quieter tracks in the last third also sound like godless gospel, until »Better Days« lets us all ride off into the sunset in reconciliation.
Julia Holter
Something In The Room She Moves
Domino