Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads (Album)

Polydor

It would seem that some bands get to a certain stage in their career when they are selling millions of records and doing sell-out stadium shows that they begin to coast a little bit when it comes to releasing music and that time would appear to have arrived for the Kaiser Chiefs at album number three as 'Off With Their Heads' is a hugely dissapointing album that retreads their previous two efforts only with little in the way of tunes such as 'I Predict A Riot' or 'The Angry Mob' to lift it above the mediocre.

This is where Kaiser Chiefs attraction has been before in their ability to write quirky, catchy songs that zip by and allow everyone to have a good ol' sing-sing, songs that can be sung in harmony by groups of tens of thousands. On 'Off With Their Heads' there is barely a sniff of that kind of song lead single 'Never Miss A Beat' is the closest they get to it and even that fails to recover from the line ' what do you want for tea? i want crisps' ridiculous.

Mark Ronson has been brought in to add polish to the record and no doubt give it something that Blur looked to get from Norman Cook during the 'Think Tank' recordings but despite Ronson being a talented producer and giving the record a sheen he struggles with the material at times. For example good friend Lily Allen is roped in for backing vocals but you'd be hard pressed to find her here at all though she is alledged to be on the single and on 'Always Happens Like That' allegedly!?!

There is still some sign of effort here though 'Like It Too Much' shows they've still got that knack for an anthem when they choose to use it, and opener 'Spanish Metal' with it's Sergio Leone-esque intro that is still effective but you still think they should have thrown the kitchen sink at it and really been experimental and challenge themselves, throw in some strings, but nevermind.

Still there is the durge that is 'Good Days Bad Days' and 'Tomato In The Rain' (what a title) to make you forget about the good parts. It's ashame as the Chiefs' do have that charm about them and do have it in them to release a great album but they are going to have to change. I guess it's all very well when they are selling loads etc but there will come a time when people want something different and the Kaiser Chiefs will have to be ready to give them that, on this showing it's not going to happen anytime soon.