Reviews

Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob

Garnering massive amounts of attention with 2005's Employment comes a very confident sophomore effort. From the get go the hooks are aplenty on "Ruby", showing they havent forgotten how to pen a catchy tune and aren't afraid to re-establish their trademark kitsch rock riffs. Like many of the Chiefs contemporaries, they have all tasted a certain amount of success and though they are a forerunner they are only topped in popularity by the likes Bloc Party and the Arctic Monkeys.

After a solid start to the album, especially with "Angry Mob" things tend to regress into mediocracy. Lacking the energy and flair of the first few tracks which have been released as singles which isnt a suprise. "Love's Not A Competition" keeps the casual flow rolling as it has that Kaiser signature spark even if there is no light around.

It's quite ironic in track "Everything is Average Nowadays" cough displaying a cocky frontman Ricky Wilson in his swagger, with the possibility of the title being used against him. The album soldiers on in it's bluster continuing to thrust out hooks to captivate the conservative listener, "I Can do it Without You" is a great example of that. The albums flow is spoiled on more than one occasion due to banal material which ruins the albums groove. It's true without the singles this album would probably fall apart at the core.

The album is indeed jubilating, though after a few listens tends to lose it's edge with the constant cheap hooks that sometimes can be mistaken for something great which in turn is easily just as simple and ordinary. There is clear ambition to become an arena rock band, it's just not as good as it could have been. Besides the few catchy singles Employment reigns as the more consistent outing.

5/10

Sean B