Kaiser Chiefs - The Future Is Medieval (2011)

How many albums do you love all but one or two bum tracks? And how many times have you heard a B side and wondered how it didn't make the album? Well, rather than release an indulgent 20 track double album, the Kaiser Chiefs are giving fans the opportunity to select and order 10 tracks for their own personalized version. It's a cool idea, but these days fans already do that on their computers by rating songs and only listening to their favorites. Perhaps the band is acknowledging that they no longer control how the music is going to be consumed. At least this way, they get some great data on what their fans really like.

Unfortunately, even as a longtime Kaiser Chief fan, I'm having trouble finding 10 tracks I love. Mostly they are fine. Although I'd definitely put "Back In December," "Can't Mind My Own Business" and "Starts With Nothing" on an album, I don't hear any of the type of singles that made me fall in love with the band back when "I Predict A Riot" incited mass dancing/jumping as it pumped across the indie rock dance floors.

Too bad they didn't do this for a greatest hits album. This method would work great for career spanning compilations for any artist with a handful of releases. I am sure fans could pull out enough deep cuts around the obvious singles to make some pretty interesting and personal albums.

Sunshine - MGKK Telepathy (2009)

What's up Czech Republic! Where have you been hiding? I can honestly say that bands from the Czech Republic have never made it onto my radar. So, congratulations Sunshine, consider yourself my first. Based on their accents (or lack-there-of), I would have guessed that these Czech rockers were British or American. A remarkable feat really—kind of like seeing a Russell Crowe movie where he plays an American and then immediately hearing an interview in his thick Australian accent... how can that be the same person speaking? With that aside, MGKK Telepathy is a pretty kick ass post-punk meets new wave album that, I would say, is a loose mixture of Stellastarr*, Kaiser Chiefs, Talking Heads, Gang Of Four and Radio 4. They remind me most of Every Move A Picture of San Francisco; however, most people I've met are not familiar with them, so the comparison won't get me vary far. Although the punk influences are prevalent, I would put MGKK Telepathy much more in the dance rock realm due to dance beats of various sorts taking over on nearly every track, and I could imagine a live show working the crowd into a Hot Chip like dance frenzy. Tracks like "Mr. Catastrophe," "K.I.D.S.," "Tokyo Bassline" and "Venom" are excellent examples of what kind of business Sunshine lays down. If you are ready to temporarily hang up your Hot Chip, Bloc Party and The Rapture albums and try out something new and slightly different, I recommend giving the Czechs a try.

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.