Yeah Yeah Yeahs release gospel-fied new single, 'Sacrilege'

By Mikael Wood

Feb. 25, 2013 2:23 PM PT

It’s called “Sacrilege,” but the new single from Yeah Yeah Yeahs feels full of the spirit.

The first taste from a new album due in April, “Sacrilege” starts out as a lean, indie-rock jam, with singer Karen O cooing about “falling for a guy” and “feathers in our bed” over a restrained groove by guitarist Nick Zinner and Brian Chase. Before long, however, a full-blown gospel choir joins in, pushing “Sacrilege” outward (and upward) to much larger dimensions.

“And I plead / And I pray,” Karen O and the guest vocalists sing, and you can practically envision the crew holding forth at some too-cool tent revival. (Listen to the song, posted to YouTube on Monday, below.)

On April 16, Yeah Yeah Yeahs are scheduled to release “Mosquito,” the group’s anticipated follow-up to 2009’s “It’s Blitz!” In a press release, Karen O said the record -- which is to feature appearances by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and rapper Kool Keith in his Dr. Octagon guise -- “has more moodier and tripped-out songs than you’ve ever heard from us. You might catch some roots reggae and minimalist psychedelia influences in there.”

The band will play the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12 and 19. Last month, it touched down at Pomona’s Glass House for a warm-up gig -- one that Times pop music critic Randall Roberts called “positively explosive” -- ahead of an appearance at Australia’s Big Day Out festival.