Yours Truly, Angry Mob

Performer: Kaiser Chiefs
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Like other bands in the British New Wave/post-punk-revival class of 2005, Kaiser Chiefs faced the dreaded sophomore album roughly two years later, and, while their peers in Bloc Party opted for U2-like grandiosity, the Leeds-based lads chose to steer their exuberant sound in a more pensive, wistful direction. Whereas the Chiefs were out carousing in the pubs on their debut, EMPLOYMENT, this record finds them largely hung-over and reflective, with the quintet even going so far as to title YOURS TRULY, ANGRY MOB's moody closing track "Retirement." Although there are energetic moments here--most notably, the catchy, synth-laden lead single "Ruby"--nothing approaches the gleeful furor of "I Predict a Riot" or "Na Na Na Na Naa." Providing an integral thread from EMPLOYMENT is renowned producer Stephen Street, who, having worked with the Smiths and Blur, proves to be adept at balancing lively anthems with melancholy numbers. In fact, ANGRY MOB serves to reinforce the Chiefs' Blur comparisons, with frontman Ricky Wilson often bringing to mind a scrappy young PARKLIFE-era Damon Albarn in spirit, if not in voice. Though some Kaiser fans may be put off by the less-than-giddy proceedings, the more introspective approach suits the group surprisingly well, making for a mature and intriguing second outing. It's no secret that the Leeds-based Kaiser Chiefs love the Jam. The band's 2005 excellent but uneven debut Employment was an infectious salute to all things mod and Brit-pop, boasting three solid singles ("I Predict a Riot," "Oh My God" and "Everyday I Love You Less and Less") that held great promise for future endeavors. On Yours Truly, Angry Mob, the group takes a little more time in establishing its pop acumen, offering no immediate pay-offs despite its insatiable thirst for FM melody. Opener and first single "Ruby," a rowdy, mid-tempo singalong that gets everything right but feels a little tossed-off and disposable, is indicative of Angry Mob's first half -- "Heat Dies Down," "Love's Not a Competition (But I'm Winning)" and "Highroyds" have all of their cogs well-oiled and reliably dressed, but there's nothing here that warrants the inevitable second listen in which a perfectly constructed pop song's true genius is revealed. To that end, Angry Mob is creatively back loaded (though not genius), relying on a series of rewarding and occasionally subversive tracks like "I Can Do It Without You," "Learnt My Lesson Well," "My Kind of Guy" and closer "Retirement" to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, revealing a band that is likely to continue pumping out albums with a few great songs on them until the requisite "Greatest Hits" collection arrives. [Yours Truly, Angry Mob is also available in an edition with three bonus tracks.] ~ James Christopher Monger

Spin (p.92) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[The album] marches through its baker's dozen of punk-tinged pop songs with a prickly sense of purpose." Q (p.106) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he eccentric twists bolster YOURS TRULY's main thrust....The chorus among choruses belongs to the decidedly unaverage 'Everything Is Average Nowadays'..." Uncut (p.80) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]heir second album manages to be full of surprises, while never straying too far from what you'd expect." CMJ (p.39) - "The band, in love as ever with the Britpop tradition that spawned them, offers another collection of swaggering uptempo guitar tracks that are full of big, singalong choruses..." Q (Magazine) (p.84) - Ranked #13 in Q's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2007" -- "'The Angry Mob' was the definitive illustration of their maturing lyrical wit and musical brawn." Mojo (Publisher) (p.98) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Opener 'Ruby' is a foot-to-the-floor, festival monster-in-waiting, while 'Highroyds' recalls Blur's effervescent, buzzsaw pop."

One of many young U.K. bands to grab the spotlight in the mid 2000s, the Kaiser Chiefs play catchy, madcap Brit Pop, perfect for a Saturday night out. Unlike their peers on the scene, the Kaiser Chiefs have a goofy charm that plays off the styles and sounds of the '70s U.K. power-pop movement. Their single "I Predict A Riot" wouldn't be out of place on an early XTC album or as a b-side to "Starry Eyes."

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