Their new album is really the sound of a band going through the motions. Even with hot producer Mark Ronson behind the board, Off With Their Heads sounds stale. For the most part it sound like the Kaiser Chiefs playing Kaiser Chief covers.
"Never Miss A Beat", one of two songs which feature Lily Allen, sounds like any other Kaiser Chiefs single. It has a keyboard supporting a boppy chorus. We've heard it before.
Even worse is the track "Like It Too Much". The song is derivative. What's worse is that it's derivative of the band's own "Oh My God".
There are a few instances where the band dips a toe in the water of experimentation. Sometimes those work out, as with the album opener "Spanish Metal" (it will have you reaching for your old Teenage Fanclub records). Also a check in the plus side is "You Want History" with its Inspiral Carpets-style keyboard groove. However, for every success there's a failure. None greater than the rap interlude by a rapper named Sway on "Half The Truth".
It's not all doom and gloom for the Kaiser Chiefs though. The album closer "Remember You're A Girl" is a walking paced introspective pop gem. It's subtle, nuanced flavour gives you a glimmer of hope of positive things to come once again for the Kaiser Chiefs.
My advice: skip Off With Their Heads and wait for the next record.
Kaiser Chiefs play the Mod Club in Toronto on Nov. 18th.
Best tracks: "Remember You're A Girl", "Addicted To Drugs"
Track listing for Off With Their Heads:
- Spanish Metal
- Never Miss A Beat
- Like It Too Much
- You Want History
- Can't Say What I Mean
- Good Days Bad Days
- Tomato In The Rain
- Half The Truth
- Always Happens Like That
- Addicted To Drugs
- Remember You're a Girl
5.5
1 praise/complaints:
My thoughts exactly. I reviewed the album a couple days ago and came to the same conclusion.
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