Inspired by that moment sometime in the late '70s when punk gave birth to /p>
ew wave (and looked back to the heyday of '60s mod for inspiration), the Kaiser Chiefs' debut, Employment, expands on the sharp, sussed sound of their singles in surprising ways. A look at London life and its discontents, Employment is a remarkably ambitious debut album that aspires, right down to its cheeky liner notes and graphics, to be the Parklife or All Mod Cons of the 2000s. While it doesn't quite reach those heights, it does have its fair share of memorable songs. Chief among them is the one-two punch of "Everyday I Love You Less and Less," a tightly wound "get lost" song that seamlessly mixes the band's punky guitar-bass-drums attack with synths and drum machines, and their signature single, "I Predict a Riot," another prime example of the band's barbed, pissed-off pop. "Saturday Night" is another standout; with its brassy stomp and lyrics like "watching the boys on their motorbikes/I want to be like those guys," it's a Quadrophenia-like understanding of what it is to be lonely in a crowd. On songs like moody-yet-stylish "Modern Way" and the cheeky, contradictory "Na Na Na Naa," the Kaiser Chiefs sound so effortlessly "on" that it's something of a surprise when Employment begins to lose momentum. Despite its pretty '60s pop melody, "You Can Have It All" drags a bit, while the vaudeville-tinged "Time Honoured Tradition" and "Born to Be a Dancer" are too precious and theatrical for their own good. Although it's not among their best songs musically, and its Beach Boys piss-take title is a little annoying, "Caroline, Yes" is one of the Kaiser Chiefs' more interesting bits of songwriting: on the surface, the narrator is upset because the other guy took Caroline away from him, but what really gets him is that the other guy is "everything I want to be in my life." Likewise, Employment ends with "Team Mate," a tantalizingly short character sketch that is also the band's best allad. The Kaiser Chiefs' ambition is a double-edged sword: it's admirable that they wanted to branch out in so many directions on their first full-length, but it might have been a better -- or safer, at least -- move to stick to the amazing rockers that made their name in the first place. Employment is an uneven but still very promising debut that suggests that one day the Kaiser Chiefs will pull off something even more ambitious.
Can’t be everywhere. Can’t see everything. I know I’m not alone in this. Some stuff just passes you by, or slips through the cracks. Dammit.I was all keyed up and full-on flailing with delight at San Francisco’s Warfield Theater on Friday night. The Kaiser Chiefs - the buoyant English rockers – were on stage performing their darkly wry, pogo-matic ass-kicker “Everyday I Love You Less a
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The night's location? "The Vic":http://www.jamusa.com/vic/pictures-general.htm in Chicago, IL. I'd never been to the Vic before, but I could tell from the pics online that the place was tiny. I still wasn't prepared for exacly how small it was though. The main part of the floor is separated from a slightly elevated seating area (couches, etc.) by a brass rail. Between the brass rail and th...
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I was just on the Mog O Sphere & saw a post by Queen of Hell & then checked to see if I received any emails & alas no! Wtf is going on? This frustrates me but I know technology can be that way often. GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! I want my email notifications damnit! lolol Well here's a little musical salve for all of us email notification challenged folk, heh!
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During house cleaning I discovered that somehow I possess two copies of Employment by Kaiser Chiefs. I have no idea how this has come to be; I'm not even a huge fan. All I can say is that however it happened, it must have been legal. The principle that there can be too much of a good thing tells me to get rid of the extra copy. I'd like to donate it to one of my trusted moggers who help my bout...
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The Kaiser Chiefs are coming to the US but they're bringing the NME with them. Oh well. N. American dates finally confirmed including a SXSW showcase spot. God, I hope I can get in. New York Roseland Ballroom (April 13)Toronto Kool Haus (18)Chicago Vic Theatre (20)San Francisco Warfield Theatre (27)
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Sorry if you hate the movie reference but I'm trying to describe that satisfaction of introducing someone to something that you love, a song or artist that you can't wait to share. The look on my daughter's face when I load new songs on her MP3 or when we head out in the car and my husband says "Who is this singing?" There's got to be a major dose of seratonin sent to the brain from that "Don't...
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~ PrologueThe red button song was picked for three reasons. a) all this happened on a Saturday night, b) it's a very cool song from Kaiser Chiefs' first and worthy album, and c) all this happened at Leeds, that is Kaiser Chiefs' home town.~ Chapter I, The age of innocenceIt's gonna be a good Saturday. Two shows in one night and I'm a very happy girl. To celebrate this personal first, I put on m...
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And this time I really mean it! There is this little football game here in Columbus on Saturday afternoon...And I am going on record right now and saying that there will be riots! I lived on campus for many years(i was on the 7yr plan) and they rioted when OSU beat Michigan, and they rioted when we lost to Michigan! Bottom line is that when college kids start drinking at 6AM for a game that won...
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Can’t be everywhere. Can’t see everything. I know I’m not alone in this. Some stuff just passes you by, or slips through the cracks. Dammit.I was all keyed up and full-on flailing with delight at San Francisco’s Warfield Theater on Friday night. The Kaiser Chiefs - the buoyant English rockers – were on stage performing their darkly wry, pogo-matic ass-kicker “Everyday I Love You Less a
More >
I'm a fan of the Kaiser Chiefs, and I'm currently consuming their album Employment. It is getting a lot of play time with me because the video "Oh My God", covered by Mark Ronson featuring Lily Allen, is currently being overplayed (in my opinion) in the UK. Backlash! I am so in love with the original, and I wanted to share them both for you.Please note - the 5 guys entering the "club" are th...
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I was just on the Mog O Sphere & saw a post by Queen of Hell & then checked to see if I received any emails & alas no! Wtf is going on? This frustrates me but I know technology can be that way often. GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! I want my email notifications damnit! lolol Well here's a little musical salve for all of us email notification challenged folk, heh!
More >
The night's location? "The Vic":http://www.jamusa.com/vic/pictures-general.htm in Chicago, IL. I'd never been to the Vic before, but I could tell from the pics online that the place was tiny. I still wasn't prepared for exacly how small it was though. The main part of the floor is separated from a slightly elevated seating area (couches, etc.) by a brass rail. Between the brass rail and th...
More >
because Every (theme) Day I Love you Less and Less
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OK...maybe I am not psychic...but I have lived in Columbus, OH long enough to know that when Ohio State beat Texas on Saturday night there would be rioting! I was not dissapointed....reports of over 40 fires and hundreds of arrests....when frat boys start drinking at 9AM, only bad things can follow!!
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During house cleaning I discovered that somehow I possess two copies of Employment by Kaiser Chiefs. I have no idea how this has come to be; I'm not even a huge fan. All I can say is that however it happened, it must have been legal. The principle that there can be too much of a good thing tells me to get rid of the extra copy. I'd like to donate it to one of my trusted moggers who help my bout...
More >
Sorry if you hate the movie reference but I'm trying to describe that satisfaction of introducing someone to something that you love, a song or artist that you can't wait to share. The look on my daughter's face when I load new songs on her MP3 or when we head out in the car and my husband says "Who is this singing?" There's got to be a major dose of seratonin sent to the brain from that "Don't...
More >
I tired drumming for the first time yesterday, it went very well... May I heartily recommend the Kaiser Chiefs for drumming practise, especially 'I was born to be a Dancer' :-)
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The Kaiser Chiefs are coming to the US but they're bringing the NME with them. Oh well. N. American dates finally confirmed including a SXSW showcase spot. God, I hope I can get in. New York Roseland Ballroom (April 13)Toronto Kool Haus (18)Chicago Vic Theatre (20)San Francisco Warfield Theatre (27)
More >
| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Everyday I Love You Less and Less |
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| 2 I Predict a Riot |
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| 3 Modern Way |
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| 4 Na Na Na Na Naa |
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| 5 You Can Have It All |
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| 6 Oh My God |
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| 7 Born to Be a Dancer |
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| 8 Saturday Night |
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| 9 What Did I Ever Give You? |
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| 10 Time Honoured Tradition |
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| 11 Caroline, Yes |
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| 12 Team Mate |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Employment")
