Kaiser Chiefs – Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Album

England’s Kaiser Chiefs came up in the aughts with snarky post-pub rock Employment, and even if their breakthrough is still their greatest record (like many aughts acts), they have been trying new things since then (also like many aughts acts). Last decade saw them up their polish and introduce some dance elements (again, like many aughts acts), and that goes even further with Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Album.

Indeed, the Chiefs are downright funky on Easy in songs such as “How 2 Dance”, “The Job Centre Shuffle” (which features Rudimental’s Hak Baker), and “Jealousy”. The quality of these songs vary, best when the band ups the catch and singer Ricky Wilson’s wry take, like on “Jealousy” or the pub-love rock “Beautiful Girl”. Indeed, those kind of shine compared to some of the relatively less interesting ‘old’ Chiefs styles such as the stadium “Noel Groove”, grind “Reasons to Stay Alive”, or torch “Burning In Flames”. But don’t worry, there’s also a tribute to “The Lads” to close.

This isn’t the Kaiser Chiefs you remember from back when, but you’re not the you that you remember from back when. Now, you might be staying at home while Chiefs are on the dancefloor, but that’s why it’s Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Album.