The Kills' new stuff?
I've been a fan of the Kills since Blood Pressures was released (eons ago, really). My partner got into them when Midnight Boom was around. I was really obsessed with them and now I pick them up with massive nostalgia because well, the sound and factually the aura, feel, the whole will they/did they/etc shenanigans really tied the whole image together, even if they dropped it. But watching documentaries like I Hate The Way You Love, french documentaries, long interviews, old recorded gigs and trying to figure out things even if it's their own lives, they had their own mystique around them.
They were very cool. It wasn't that they gave more interviews then, it was that they knew what to say, they knew what not to say, it was natural for them. Now it feels like a forced recipe in the music, which is really sad. I knew Jamie had talked about straying from guitars quite a while now, but it's sad to properly witness it in the tracks we've seen.
I'm happy that Alison is more comfortable and found love with Damian Lewis, I'm sure everyone is very very happy for her and bless that! Seriously, I grin from ear to ear. They look very sweet with one another.
I don't think that strained The Kills though, but Jamie had always been behind steering the wheel behind the scenes, so it really feels like he's lost interest in making guitar music. I know obviously they've grown, but as corny as it is we need to address that this feels like a "Little Room" situation, which most know is a The White Stripes song (c'mon, we're the same fandom practically). Jamie talked about it in length of how brilliant it was and how relatable it was. The Kills played in a closet space while they were getting on track before Keep on your Mean Side and starting the band. And now obviously they've gotten far more creative space and recognition, but it feels like they're doing it to do it.
I'm probably bias as hell, but I love the whole raw energy and strict bare sound that they had in the beginning, as well as Jamie's former projects like Scarfo and Fiji, which really focused on talking about poverty, being low on the ladder, crime and unattainable things. Now all of that is achieved and they did sort of feel like they missed the old days (hence the massive rehashes of polaroids from their first US tour and releasing Dream & Drive). It was fascinating to dig into their musical influences, hear Jamie read Kerouac, how they bonded over Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgewick, Jamie showing Alison The Velvet Underground and PJ Harvey, talking about Sonic Youth.
I don't get the same vibe from Rihanna fan talk and the current music they enjoy. I'm not saying your influences have to be very seen in your music, but here it feels very bland, imo.
And regarding to the controversial album cover of "God Games" I saw it, I was a bit surprised that it was very very... meh and I was just even more underwhelmed since the songs are very very bland to me, so bland songs, bland album. I'm not entirely sure what they wanted to say with it, I know they stopped being vegans eons ago or stand up for animal rights, and not saying that only vegans care about animal rights! But it does feel like a quick note on "hey, this is our interpretation which is xyz" as a simple reply anywhere would make more sense than running to make some stupid drama of are they supporting bullfighting and what is this shit get the album some attention. Meh.
