Single Review: Kaiser Chiefs – ‘Parachute’
2 min read
Indie rock. Cultural and political lyrical protests. Angst. This is what you’d usually associate with the Kaiser Chiefs. But as described by lead vocalist Ricky Wilson, the Kaiser Chiefs have taken a more personal approach to their soon to be released album Stay Together. With its lyrical theme being centred around “personal politics” and “what’s going on inside”, it was to be expected that the sound would shapeshift also. With the realisation that for a decade now the band had not yet addressed such a topic and had “never really written love songs”, the Kaiser Chiefs are now ready to “hit close to home emotionally”.
Which brings us to their first single off said album, Parachute. Parachute with its palatable dance-pop sensibilities is a whole lot less punchy than their previous work. If you were to compare its vocal delivery and overall arrangement to any other artist, you wouldn’t be mistaken to think it were the sequel to the 2014 Coldplay single Sky Full Of Stars, with its strikingly similar piano riffs and airy albeit almost celestial vocal delivery, lyrical content and musical accompaniments. In fact, a mash-up of the two probably wouldn’t go astray.
Parachute showcases a swap of electric guitars for acoustic strums and loud rolling drums for cleaner hits. And while I imagine Parachute to be Coldplay fan approved, it seems that fans of Kaiser Chiefs have been a little on edge about this wild card. With mixed fan reviews, ranging between, feeling thrown off guard by the new sound, and others, appreciating the sudden change of style, it’s hard to tell how the new album will sit with current fans if the style of the whole album follows a similar blueprint to Parachute. Although regardless of individuals personal tastes and opinions, Parachute is as refreshing as it is surprising. And if all else fails, the new sound has the possibility of creating a whole new group of fans altogether, and that’s never usually a bad thing.
