MCA Universal
The songs in Kaiser Chiefs’ second record run, on average, three minutes long. But boy, do they feel longer than that. It could be vocalist Ricky’s singing that really sounds flat and boring. The change of pace could be the band’s attempt to be more melodious, except their melodies sound—we are too hard—flat and boring. The quirky hooks as well as their energetic la-la-la’s that made Kaiser Chiefs distinct aren’t as vibrant as expected, or perhaps, as needed in making Yours Truly Angry Mob an enjoyable listen. While first single and opener “Ruby” suggests a more Stones-esque rock ‘n’ roll vibe, the energy doesn’t quite pick up until the eighth track, “My Kind of Guy.” “Learnt my Lesson Well” is a two-part song that, frankly, could have done without the second part. You can choose to look at this noodling in two ways: Kaiser growing up and taming their sound, or a pronouncement of lethargy or aging.–Lou E. Albano
LINKS
Kaiser Chiefs official website
