Though "Ruby" was one of the Kaiser Chiefs' biggest hits, it and the rest of Yours Truly, Angry Mob were disappointing, trading Employment's ambitious spark for workmanlike consistency. It seemed like that could be the fate of the rest of the band's output until Lily Allen's funky pop cover of "Oh My God" appeared on Mark Ronson's album Version, which ultimately led to Ronson working on the Kaisers' third album. The golden touch Ronson had as a producer for artists like Allen and Amy Winehouse is also evident throughout Off with Their Heads: he imbues the band's spiky Brit-rock with his pop and dance music flair, throwing together strings, synths, live and programmed drums, exotic percussion and lots of guitars in a new wave-y/rave-y mix that nods to bands like Klaxons and Late of the Pier. The cheeky "Addicted to Drugs" gets an extra kick from Ronson's a go-go bells, giving the song a kinetic beat even though the rest of the track is straight-ahead guitar pop, while "You Want History"'s brisk hi-hats and surging synths flirt with the dancefloor. Ronson also brings in Allen as a guest vocalist for the excellent, slightly paranoid pop of "Always Happens Like That" and rapper Sway on "Half the Truth," who gives the song's angry young man rant against doublespeak a sharper edge.
Of course, all the creative production and guest stars Ronson offers wouldn't mean anything if the Kaiser Chiefs' songwriting wasn't focused, but Off with Their Heads delivers on this front too. The band rails against stupidity and conformity like they did on Yours Truly, Angry Mob, but this time they know that while it's smart to be witty, it's even smarter to be insidiously catchy. The band's commentary is fused to some of their most pointed hooks: "Never Miss a Beat" rails against how "it's cool to know nothing" to a fittingly relentless rhythm. "Like It Too Much" touches on the Kaisers' latent XTC fetish -- words like "You are descended from animals/And you are constructed of chemicals" could have flowed from Andy Partridge's pen, and the song's lumbering stomp only heightens the similarity. Elsewhere, "Can't Say What I Mean" is wittily tongue-tied and "Good Days and Bad Days" manages the impressive feat of being happy-go-lucky with sounding complacent; more importantly, they show that the Kaiser Chiefs remember the playful spirit of British rock that a lot of traditionalist U.K. bands forget. A couple of songs lack the urgency of the album's best moments (though "Tomato in the Rain" boasts the great lyric "A policeman on the take/Weighted down in a lake" and "Remember You're a Girl" has a naggingly deja vu-inspiring melody), letting Off with Their Heads fall just short of greatness. Still, this is easily some of the Kaisers' finest -- and most consistent -- music.
Who: Beach HouseTitle: Teen DreamRelease Date: January 26thLabel: Sub PopThoughts: At this point I have to assume that all of you have heard the fantastic new record from Beach House. Sure it doesn't officially see the light of day until January, but the way it has been lighting up the blogs and the torrent sites the past week makes us believe someone has been listening. So you should already k...
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But first, These are my 'BEST' MUSIC CD's for 2008 (Part 2) (11.) THE BLACK CROWES - WARPAINT - 'The Black Crowes' are in it for the long haul, which the superb 'Warpaint' proves beyond a shadow of a doubt. (12.) KINGS OF LEON - ONLY BY THE NIGHT - A polarizing 'Kings of Leon ' record, flaunting a set of ringing guitars and radio-ready melodies. (13.) THE RACONTEURS - CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY...
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The Kaiser Chief’s third album, Off With Their Heads went to number #2 on the UK charts in terms of sales. They’ve been a mainstay since their debut release Employment which was an album I liked quite a bit and still listen to once inawhile. However, their second release, Yours, Truly Angry Mob definitely disappointed [...]Related posts:Kaiser Chiefs Yours Truly, Angry Mob Review The Kaiser Ch
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Welcome to Kaiser Chiefs week! The Leeds-leeds-LEEDS boys, our old friends (well, like, yuhknow, we released their debut single 'Oh My God' way back when), have hijacked DiS this week. They kick things off with a track-by-track 'directors commentary' style rundown of Off With Their Heads by KC's bassist, Simon Rix...
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"We're better than Oasis" boasted Ricky Wilson earlier this year, words he may have to eat. As critics warm to "Dig Out Your Soul," some have already shown disappointment with "Off With Their Heads." With a solid two albums behind them, and new production from Mark Ronson, it would be fair to assume that we would [...]
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Guest Editors Kaiser Chiefs reveal the musical inspirations behind new album Off With Their Heads
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Welcome to Kaiser Chiefs week! The Leeds-leeds-LEEDS boys, our old friends (well, like, yuhknow, we released their debut single 'Oh My God' way back when), have hijacked DiS this week. They kick things off with a track-by-track 'directors commentary' style rundown of Off With Their Heads by KC's bassist, Simon Rix...
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Get your nanananah, rooobehroobehroooobay and ooooooh-woooooh-aaaahh's ready as popular pop band Kaiser Chiefs have a new album in the offing and plan to launch it and a new venue at the same time. The Leeds lads will be hometown heroes on the wee~~
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As the most eminent deadmande... is wont to say "live music is better",here is the first single from "Off With Their Heads" performed live. From Uncut: "Never Miss A Beat", a slyly subversive football terrace chant which, like "I Predict A Riot", pokes fun at the ASBO'd-up lumpenproletariat ("what did you learn today?/I learned nothing… what did you learn at school?/I didn't go… what do you wa
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One of my favorite music genres - pop -is always a superb antidote for a gloomy mood or day or just about anything in the gloom arena. Gloom cannot exist in a quality pop tune.This revelation came upon me while giving the Kaiser Chief's latest effort it 9th or 10th listen. (I've lost count) From Rolling Stone:The Kaiser Chiefs are Britain's most political pop group at the moment, although it ma...
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Who: Beach HouseTitle: Teen DreamRelease Date: January 26thLabel: Sub PopThoughts: At this point I have to assume that all of you have heard the fantastic new record from Beach House. Sure it doesn't officially see the light of day until January, but the way it has been lighting up the blogs and the torrent sites the past week makes us believe someone has been listening. So you should already k...
More >
But first, These are my 'BEST' MUSIC CD's for 2008 (Part 2) (11.) THE BLACK CROWES - WARPAINT - 'The Black Crowes' are in it for the long haul, which the superb 'Warpaint' proves beyond a shadow of a doubt. (12.) KINGS OF LEON - ONLY BY THE NIGHT - A polarizing 'Kings of Leon ' record, flaunting a set of ringing guitars and radio-ready melodies. (13.) THE RACONTEURS - CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY...
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I'm home with a darned summer cold, and keeping myself occupied listening to iTunes. Thought I'd share a gem from the Kaiser Chiefs' last album Off With Their Heads, "Never Miss A Beat." It's cool to know nuthin'!
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The Kaiser Chief’s third album, Off With Their Heads went to number #2 on the UK charts in terms of sales. They’ve been a mainstay since their debut release Employment which was an album I liked quite a bit and still listen to once inawhile. However, their second release, Yours, Truly Angry Mob definitely disappointed [...]Related posts:Kaiser Chiefs Yours Truly, Angry Mob Review The Kaiser Ch
More >
Love this band, love thier vids Good Days, Bad Days
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Last video around Ricky Wilson's guys did expensive things like hiring actors and renting face masks, so it's only logical that they've pulled the purse strings a little tighter for the next sample of their new, Mark Ronson co-produced album. The groovier, cowbell-clanging "Spanish Metal" (so called for the modal lead guitar line and use of distortion, don't expect references to Orthodox) gets ...
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The Brits' third album Off With Their Heads features vocal assistance from Lily Allen and New Young Pony Club. Mark Ronson co-produced. And now you can listen to it over at LastFM .
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Leeds band The Kaiser Chiefs have once again moved to dismiss speculation that they are set to split.Since their third album ‘Off With Their Heads’ faired poorly in the charts, the band have been the subject of countless rumours, including that they were set to be dropped by their label. The whisperings became louder after [...]
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The only ounce of satisfaction that Kaiser Chiefs have ever brought me was my ability to turn around a Yours Truly, Angry Mob promo on eBay for $10. Maybe it's boredom on a lazy Tuesday afternoon, but I decided to give the brits' new one a shot, Off With Their Heads. While most of it is bitter swill (as expected), there was one song that stuck out:[MP3] Kaiser Chiefs - Always Happens Like Tha...
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Kaiser Chiefs - Spanish MetalLooking forward to some LIVE music over the weekend? I am! Woohoo!! Gotta warm up the F1 Engines here and what better way than watching some excellent footage of Kaiser Chiefs in an arena event!
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Spanish Metal |
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| 2 Never Miss a Beat |
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| 3 Like It Too Much |
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| 4 You Want History |
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| 5 Can't Say What I Mean |
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| 6 Good Days Bad Days |
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| 7 Tomato in the Rain |
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| 8 Half the Truth |
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| 9 Always Happens Like That |
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| 10 Addicted to Drugs |
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| 11 Remember You're a Girl |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Off with Their Heads")
