October 23, 2008

Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads

Off With Their Heads? More like Off With Their Ears!

If you’re looking to pad your collection with indistinguishable Brit rock, add Kaiser Chiefs. Their third release is perfect for fist-pumping frat boys in Hoboken bars who desire some semblance of indie cred but are too lazy to research something less generic and slightly under the radar. This would require thinking, but then again so does most subterranean rock worth listening to. Their interesting debut, Employment (2005), flirted with new wave and 70’s punk, but commercial success has made their sound mass produced for, well, mass appeal. Quite frankly, fuck marketability if it’s at the expense of losing that certain something that had initially put them on the map. Even producer Mark Ronson did little for this derivative music than give it a shiny, polished sound.

“Spanish Metal” is their “badass” intro. The vocals excited me since they were reminiscent of Alice In Chains’ lead singer Layne Staley (may he rest). Alas, the thrill wore off since I ended up turning on Jar Of Flies instead. With a catchy chorus and watered down Gallagher (see: Oasis) vocals, “Never Miss A Beat” is actually one of the more tolerable tracks. But if blatant un-originality tires you, this song will put you to sleep faster than Nyquil. Unworthy of mention are the uninspired songs “Can’t Say What I Mean” and “Good Days Bad Days,” boasting lyrics that are equal parts cliché and utterly annoying. The punchy guitar that introduces “Like It Too Much” is nothing but a Spoon “I Turn My Camera On” baseline knock-off, but not in a good way. Plus, I’m not even a Spoon fan! And “You Want History,” with wailing guitars and big background vocals, is a mélange of sounds from forgettable 80’s bands not even worth the lackadaisical mention.

Overall, this album is far from groundbreaking and misses the very beat they claim to “Never Miss.” Had they covered familiar territory from a unique vantage point maybe they could’ve developed more worthwhile lyrics, but no dice. Plus, the music has been done before... and better. Suffice it to say, I’ve seen fake Prada wallets sold by NYC street vendors with more style and originality than Kaiser Chiefs.

11 Comments:

sandenuts said...

I haven't listened to it all the way through yet, only a few tracks, but I really liked it. Then again it might just be I am a really big fan of the band. Did anyone else like it? I am thinking about buying it.

Mona said...

Wow, really? I could barely get through the entire album to even write this review!

Thinking of buying it!? Wow, I'm shocked you of all QuickCrit people would dig this. WTF?! lol

sandenuts said...

Maybe I am sucker for the Chiefs, I don't know...

Mona said...

It's okay... I won't tell anyone.

awmercy said...

Dude, it sounds like the Kaiser Chiefs. I think if you are a fan, you'll dig it. They still consistently know how to work a hook into punky and fun rock song. There's a lot of bands playing this sort of British lad rock these days and the album may suffer some by not distinguishing itself enough from the rest. I don't think it quite has the same youthful punch of the first album, but there are still a handful of songs I'll turn up loud.

awmercy said...

Is "subterranean rock" really the only thing worth listening to?

Mona said...

Damn, I love how QuickCritters get as worked up over musical points of contentions as over albums we all love. So awesome.

It is kinda indistinguishable. At least Arctic Monkeys and Koooks make albums that are more fun to listen to. This one, I dunno, it just adds nothing new. Nor does it do "done before" well either.

Nothing personal, it was just eh. No joke, it'd get a 6/10. And I'm hardly harsh.

Mona said...

Awmercy, of course not. Not the only thing worth checking out. Good music is good music, whether on MTV or in someone's garage unsigned. But at least underground shit tends to be one thing for sure: more unique than the mass produced crap on radio today.

Maybe this is similar to the great Hold Steady incident this year. Is Kaiser Chiefs another "guy's band?" lol

Nightrain said...

Like Whoa! I pinche love the Kaiser Chiefs. I haven't listened to this album too much due to my computer crashing issues of the past week or so, but few things are cooler than singing "I Predict A Riot" for karaoke.

"Never Miss a Beat" is pretty awesome in a similar fashion.

ve1cro said...

Nightrain, some pinche fantastic choice of words!

Mona said...

Does anyone else *actually* dislike this album? It's very lonely here in the minority :/