Education, Education, Education & War

Education, Education, Education & War was the revitalisation that the decaying Kaiser Chiefs needed following the relative commercial flop of The Future is Medieval and the departure of drummer and co-songwriter Nick Hodgson, as the Kaisers topped the UK Album Charts for the first time since 2007’s Yours Truly, Angry Mob. This success is partly owed to singer Ricky Wilson being reintroduced to the spotlight as a judge on The Voice.

With a new drummer (Vijay Mistry) and a new energy, Education… sees the band move into new musical territory. Some tracks, such as “The Factory Gates” and “Cannons”, are reminiscent of their early material, whereas others, like “Coming Home” and “Meanwhile Up in Heaven”, have much less of that punk sound, leaning towards a calmer, more electronic, yet still anthemic sound.

The record received mixed reviews, with some praising the band’s newfound energy and vigour, and others finding it to be inconsistent and forgettable.