The Kills announce new album 'God Games' - Out October 27th
30th August 2023
Today, The Kills announce their sixth studio album, God Games, available October 27. Across the 12 tracks of God Games, the duo of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince plunge into new sonic territory with this hypnotic, propulsive album while maintaining the band’s signature, seductive bravado.
Following last month’s critically acclaimed dual single "New York/LA Hex," the album’s announcement is accompanied by single "103." Where "LA Hex" focused its gaze on the emotional and interpersonal realities of modern life in Los Angeles, "103" (as in Fahrenheit) highlights the brutal reality of daunting uninhabitability through the lens of a dark twisted love song – Mosshart croons cutting lyrics like "stick with me under the last palm tree / and sip a little water from the dirty fountain meant to be / the sum of it all."
Shot in storied rock/fashion photographer and metaverse pioneer Steven Sebring's custom-built 3D film studio, the video for "103" sees The Kills underneath the glare of an angry, imposing sun. Decked out in tanning goggles, solar eclipse glasses and matching reflective suits, Mosshart and Hince move with precision, at home in the chaos of high summer heat.
God Games centres the primal call-and-response between Mosshart's full body vocal catharsis and Hince's swaggering, guillotine-smooth guitar transmissions. Stretching the boundaries of the pair's signature sound, they chose to write from new perspectives. The results find the duo writing primarily on piano for the first time, incorporating innovative electronic and brass textures, crystal clear production and deeply human lyrics, as well as a collaboration with the Compton Kidz Club Choir on "LA Hex" and "My Girls My Girls." Writing began in 2019, the duo decamping to an old church to record the album with Academy® and GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Paul Epworth [Adele, Paul McCartney], who was their very first soundman in 2002.
The Kills also announce today what will be a truly special Halloween show at PRYZM in Kingston, London. Details of this Banquet Records outstore performance are available here.
The Kills God Games
Album | 27th October 2023
Whether we look for him or not, we all find God somewhere. It could be in nature. It could be in church. It could be in the metaverse. It differs for each and every one of us. In terms of where God might be, The Kills aren’t necessarily saying, but the duo - Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince - certainly sound like they’ve seen him. How else could you explain the primal call-and-response between Alison’s full body blues-soul vocal catharsis and Jamie’s swaggering, guillotine-smooth guitar transmissions on the duo’s sixth full-length offering, God Games?
The Kills have emerged as international rock stars, setting the pace for the genre, shaping this era’s sound, and redefining what rock music can be in the 21st century. They’re the rare force of nature who can tour with Queens of the Stone Age or Guns N’ Roses and light up Coachella. Returning home from the road in 2019, Alison and Jamie commenced writing for what would become God Games. However, the old adage, “Make plans, God laughs,” couldn’t have been more apropos.
Stretching boundaries, Jamie encouraged Alison to “buy this 100-dollar keyboard and try to write.” She added another creative tool to her arsenal, while he tinkered with textures, sounds and “wrote on guitar less than ever,” opting to primarily compose on piano for the first time. This powerful combination of forces gave the album its own sonic identity, a new path forged in the pair’s creative bond.
The Kills decamped to an old church (a bit ironic now isn’t it?) where they recorded with old friend and Academy and GRAMMY Award-winning producer Paul Epworth [Adele]. “Paul was our very first soundman in 2002,” recalls Jamie. “Since he was with us when we had two amps, a lightbulb, and a couple of mics in a van, it seemed perfect. He knew how far it had come and could trace the thread back.”
The Kills God Games
Album | 27th October 2023
Whether we look for him or not, we all find God somewhere. It could be in nature. It could be in church. It could be in the metaverse. It differs for each and every one of us. In terms of where God might be, The Kills aren’t necessarily saying, but the duo - Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince - certainly sound like they’ve seen him. How else could you explain the primal call-and-response between Alison’s full body blues-soul vocal catharsis and Jamie’s swaggering, guillotine-smooth guitar transmissions on the duo’s sixth full-length offering, God Games?
The Kills have emerged as international rock stars, setting the pace for the genre, shaping this era’s sound, and redefining what rock music can be in the 21st century. They’re the rare force of nature who can tour with Queens of the Stone Age or Guns N’ Roses and light up Coachella. Returning home from the road in 2019, Alison and Jamie commenced writing for what would become God Games. However, the old adage, “Make plans, God laughs,” couldn’t have been more apropos.
Stretching boundaries, Jamie encouraged Alison to “buy this 100-dollar keyboard and try to write.” She added another creative tool to her arsenal, while he tinkered with textures, sounds and “wrote on guitar less than ever,” opting to primarily compose on piano for the first time. This powerful combination of forces gave the album its own sonic identity, a new path forged in the pair’s creative bond.
The Kills decamped to an old church (a bit ironic now isn’t it?) where they recorded with old friend and Academy and GRAMMY Award-winning producer Paul Epworth [Adele]. “Paul was our very first soundman in 2002,” recalls Jamie. “Since he was with us when we had two amps, a lightbulb, and a couple of mics in a van, it seemed perfect. He knew how far it had come and could trace the thread back.”
-8087.jpg)
