The Kaiser Chiefs - Modern Way (B-Unique) By Steve Rudd

The rise and rise and rise of the Kaiser Chiefs has enraptured the music industry at large during 2005. Only a year ago they were slogging their guts out around many of the country's toilet-venues, but even then you could tell that they were teetering on the verge of success. As soon as I Predict A Riot stormed the charts - and set excited tongues wagging about the band en masse - there was no stopping the band. Their Oh My God anthem added to the hysteria that surrounded them.

Modern Way has long been a live favourite, and this little masterpiece is the final single to be taken from the Employment album, a classic long-player that has been one of the best-selling albums of 2005. Modern Way, compared with their ...Riot and ...God tunes, is relatively chilled-out and nowhere near as wickedly volatile as their other aforementioned hits, but just as melodic and harmonious. As well as writing incredible music, the Kaiser Chiefs also realise that the quality of song lyrics is just as important, proceeding to wonder - Do you know what I was put here for?... My brain is not damaged but in need of some repair.

This magical marriage of awesome vocals, synths, guitars and drums has been produced by Stephen Street, and is a great way to wrap up the band's Employment era before they move on and knuckle down on new material for their eagerly anticipated second album. Still, they might find it hard to set aside time to actually write and record any new songs given the fact that they always seem to be on the road; just recently they've been playing with the Foo Fighters and Weezer, while October sees the Chiefs touring the UK with The Cribs and Maximo Park.

Gee, it can't be bad. But when a band works as hard as TKC does, then every success is deserved. 4/5

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