Artist: Kaiser Chiefs
Album: Start the Revolution Without Me
Genre: Indie rock
Label: Fiction (Polydor), Universal Music Group

It’s been a while since I crossed paths with the Kaiser Chiefs. One of my abiding memories from Fifth Year in school is how dangerous it was to be on a nightclub dancefloor (or a disco dancefloor, as it was at the time) when “I Predict A Riot” came on. Not being the most physically imposing of people, I was yet to become acquainted with moshpits and almost lost multiple limbs. The band had been on a brief hiatus before releasing The Future Is Medieval in Europe last year, and it has now been transported to American shores as Start the Revolution Without Me. The tracklisting differs quite significantly, though the band had opted for an innovative marketing campaign that allowed fans to choose their favourite 10 tracks from a selection of 20, thereby ‘creating’ the album for themselves. The idea is as kooky and inventive as the band themselves, and their music has lost none of its freshness, vividness, and enthusiastic appeal.

Start the Revolution… is breezy, catchy, and thoroughly enjoyable. It combines, as ever, a wide range of influences to create something consistently surprising and ever entertaining. The songs are filled with life and energy and rarely put a foot wrong, admirably revelling in their own sense of fun. This lightness of touch makes the final track, a withdrawn, hurting ballad, that much more surprising, as it follows a series of tracks that invigorate with strong guitars and quirky instrumentation. “Little Shocks” is a characteristically kooky opening. There’s a good, gripping beat from the off and it builds momentum by seamlessly blending various layers and effects with the instruments. This is one of only two tracks that’s afforded the same positioning as the European release, and it’s not difficult to see why as it makes for a steely, compelling prologue to the record. “On the Run” is smoother, but just as good. It throbs with a mild, if tenacious, sense of aggression and the sound is richer and fuller. The backing vocals are wildly exuberant and the rhythm is consistent and catchy.

The first hints of real creative ambition are visible in “Starts With Nothing,” which adopts an expansive tone from the outset. The piano lines give it something of an epic feel, breaking loose of the slightly repetitious opening bars and establishing a keen and precise sound. It becomes blurrier and rawer as it progresses, the indistinct tones in its final swell complementing their ambitious approach. “When All Is Quiet” also makes vibrant use of the piano. It has a rougher, airy, elastic quality and feels very natural, even with the luminous harmonies. The sentiment in this track is particularly sweet and unassuming, and it’s encouraging at this halfway stage to note the mixture of sounds and styles the band have gone for. The album is rich and varied and continuously surprises the listener with its decorative mentality. “Cousin in the Bronx” is further testament to this, adding urbane sound effects from car horns and bustling streets for a grainy sense of realism. It’s not the strongest track on the album, but these quirks give it life.

The latter half of the album is marked by a recurring darkness. “Man On Mars” contrasts leisurely vocals with flashier music, the easygoing vibes belying a certain wearied contempt in lyrics and sound. “Problem Solved” is fiery and determined, its words hinting at frustration and desperation. The final third juxtaposes a guitar solo with a brooding electronic wave to striking effect. “Can’t Mind My Own Business” bandies careful guitar work for an intricate and pensive study, while “Child of the Jago” may be the album’s standout. It’s sharper than its muted predecessors, with a piercing, twisted undercurrent. It has the fire and originality that informed the band’s earliest work but its minimalist approach is newfound and breathtaking. For much of the run time, the song consists solely of rasping guitar and light percussion, the vocals removed and echoing to enhance its dramatic power. Its lingering impact makes “If You Will Have Me” that much more striking. A sullen, deliberately despondent track, it’s an odd choice to end such a colourful album, but a steely and beautiful song in its own right. The acoustic style lends it a haunted fragility and its whimsical, longing atmosphere is inescapable. It may ever so slightly overstay its welcome, but there’s a wistful elegance to the notes on which it ends, and the fact that it’s so unguarded and honest in tone makes it that much more appealing after the boyish vibrancy of the record.

Start the Revolution Without Me marks a glorious return for the Kaiser Chiefs. The band has ever impressed with their richly original brand of new wave and rock and this ensures that their reputation can continue to grow commendably. It’s powerful and memorable, but in such an easy and loveable manner that you’ll barely notice the spring in your step.

SCORE: 9/10
Review written by Grace Duffy

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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