Kaiser Chiefs’ appropriately named Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Album is a collection of ten easy listening, but not particularly imaginative, tracks. That said, with nine Top 40 singles and a comfortable legacy under their belt, perhaps imaginative is not something that the band were striving for with this album.
The sometimes-jarring combination of Britpop, Electronica, Disco, Indie Rock, and Boyband Pop that can be heard throughout the tracks suggest a certain level of comfort within the band. Certainly, it seems that they were less concerned with how the songs would fit together and more with how it felt to make them this time around. There is an easy feeling to the album, but it leans dangerously close to blasé at times.
The strongest tracks are “Burning in Flames”, a catchy anthem which blends 80s pop with the recognised Kaiser Chiefs sound and “Reasons to Stay Alive”, a chaotic but enjoyable mix of Electronic and Rock music with a solid and interesting vocal melody. “Sentimental Love Songs” is also noteworthy for its authenticity and simple, romantic lyrics, “wrapped up tight, we’re in each other’s sweaters” feels like a moment from an early 2000s Indie love song that an entire generation still play on repeat. So, there are definite highlights, but compared with previous hits like “Ruby” and “I Predict a Riot”, they lack the energy needed to secure a place on the playlists of the future.
The confusing vibe of the album is lessened by the common thread of catchy, repetitive Kaiser Chiefs choruses, and the clear mix of influences is somewhat respectable given that the band are eight albums deep. The track list suggests working class Indie but the sound jumps from Disco to Pop without a care in the world, unfortunately never quite reaching a peak in any direction.
