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Great Debate: Do The Kaiser Chiefs Deserve To Be Hailed?
By Lexi Feinberg and Michael Fraiman: 2007-07-04 14:23:46
 Yes! -- Lexi Feinberg When it comes to the Kaiser Chiefs, the Village Voice said it best: “They’re the English equivalent of Fountains of Wayne.” Bingo. For some, though, this is not a compliment. They want more depth, a little more meat, an influx of insightful lyrics. What they don’t want is to RSVP to a cheeky, superficial party thrown by a light, catchy Brit pop band. But why not? Since when did straight-up fun become such a nuisance? OK, so the Kaiser Chiefs aren’t exactly changing the world (or even the music world) with their Oasis-meets-the Monkees radio-friendly hits. Still, I can’t help but grin foolishly whenever their tunes are spinning around in my crusty old CD player. Their popular 2005 debut was Employment, followed by this year's Yours Truly, Angry Mob. It had the song “Ruby,” which has skyrocketed to the top of the charts. But that’s not even the best track on here. There’s “Heat Dies Down,” which sounds like a throwback to bouncy old-school anthems. “Learnt My Lesson Well” can make anyone feel randomly giddy. And it’s nearly impossible to listen to “The Angry Mob” without inadvertently nodding your head or tapping a toe. For the easily amused, their lyrics are pure, silly nonsense, everything from “Love’s not a competition, but I’m winning,” to “It’s just seven days … feels like a week.” Plus, my personal favorite, “Your life could be worse … you could be a nurse.” The Kaisers are an entertaining, empty-calorie, jolly ole’ band. And we could always use more of that.
-- Michael Fraiman I remember hearing “I Predict a Riot” for the first time back in high school two years ago and thinking it was a pretty good song. It was catchy, fun and British, so I bought Employment and listened to it for a while. I quickly took to its refreshingly unpretentious and simple sound. Maybe a bit too simple, which is likely why it ran its course and was put aside on my CD rack to gather, quite literally, a copious amount of dust. When I reviewed the latest Chiefs album some months ago I was severely disappointed. I can’t say for sure if it was because the album was mediocre or the fact that I had set some inexplicably high standard for them in my nostalgic mind, but I found it a generally dull, repetitive experience. I stuck by the album in hopes that something would change, but alas: If I hear Ricky Wilson chant “Ruby” once more I’m going to shoot someone. That song just isn’t good! Their popularity comes mostly from their catchy repetition, but musically it’s on par with a decent Bond flick--it’s fun for a bit but just doesn’t hold up. I probably wouldn’t even be so furious about it if it wasn’t so damn popular; I actually cannot fathom how people find that song pleasant to listen to. I just can’t. And if you argue that “millions of fans can’t be wrong,” well then let them enjoy that broken record of a track. So maybe it’s just me, but the Kaiser Chiefs, upon real criticism, just aren’t that talented. But I don’t suppose these 300 words will change anyone’s mind--if you like ‘em, you like ‘em, and that won’t change for a good few years. I hear they’re pretty fun live.
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