After the release of 2005's highly enjoyable
Employment, it looked like the Leeds-based rockers were set to take over the planet. The band's explosive mix of blue-collar, pub-style indie rock and classic Brit-pop felt both timely and nostalgic, and tracks like "I Predict a Riot," "Oh My God," "Everyday I Love You Less and Less," and "Ruby," the latter of which appeared on the group's decent yet uneven sophomore outing,
Your Truly, Angry Mob, proved to be durable stadium singalongs that would follow the band well into the next decade. Subsequent records like the likable but gimmicky
Mark Ronson-produced Off with Their Heads and 2011's fan-sculpted
Future Is Medieval and its 2012 American counterpart, Start the Revolution Without Me, suffered from a severe lack of the infectious hooks that drew listeners into the fold the first time around, which is probably why
Souvenir: The Singles 2004-2012 begins with their three most notable hits. Ultimately, it's a winning strategy, as
Kaiser Chiefs have always been the kind of group that was going to be better off compiled, as their best stuff was always sandwiched between veritable loaves of filler, but front-loading the collection with the cream of the crop makes wading through the rest of the playlist, despite some solid tracks and a brand-new song in "Listen to Your Head," a little laborious. ~ James Christopher Monger