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.

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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