Personnel: Nick Hodgson (vocals, drums); Adey Wilson (vocals); Andrew White (guitar); Simon Rix (bass guitar).

Audio Mixers: Stephen Harris; Stephen Street; Cenzo Townshend.

Recording information: Olympic Studios, Barnes, London, England; Town House Studios, London, England.

Editor: Tom Stanley.

Photographers: Jason Kelvin; Andy Melchior.

Emerging in an era rife with New Wave rip-off artists, the Kaiser Chiefs ran the risk of their sharp suits, angular haircuts, and early-1980s influences being taken the wrong way. While many of their peers shamelessly aped the most obvious aspects of the Cure, New Order, et al, Kaiser Chiefs (the name comes from a South African soccer team) much more subtly incorporated the sensibilities of their influences. Though one can hear traces of everything from Madness to XTC and Adam & the Ants on the Chiefs 2005 debut album, EMPLOYMENT, these Brits are no one's slavish imitators. Their undeniably catchy melodies, sarcastically witty lyrics, and often-sophisticated song structures bespeak a band that has developed its own style. Thus, the record finds Kaiser Chiefs standing head and shoulders above the mid-2000s neo-New Wave pack, brimming with energy, smarts, and promise.