It’s time to rip the slightly painful band-aid off and listen to the new Kaiser Chiefs album. They’re a band that I have loved since their 2005 debut album Employment, and they’ve had some shaky albums in the middle (2011’s The Future is Medieval), they came back incredibly strong just two years ago in 2014 with Education, Education, Education, & War.

A little over a month ago on October 7th, Kaiser Chiefs released Stay Together, and I have been doing everything to avoid listening to it because debut single “Parachute” disappointed me and second single “Hole In My Soul” did nothing to make me feel better. This was particularly unfortunate because they released a single between albums called “Falling Awake” that was actually really amazing, but the band chose to go a dance direction with Stay Together as evidenced by choosing a producer who has worked with Girls Aloud and Little Mix.

Reactions to the first singles and album have also been lackluster from fans disappointed by the direction that the band has chosen to go. While they are definitely entitled to do whatever they want, their execution of the chosen path has been not the greatest. It was also definitely disheartening to see Ricky Wilson getting so defensive of the album on Twitter to the point of random spats with people. So, let us go forth as I listen to this 51 minute song expedition for the first time and review it and face another disappointment from this week.

Immediately as opening track “We Stay Together” starts, frontman Ricky Wilson’s vocals sound muddled as a result of either production or his own chosen method of singing for the introduction. The song feels like a disco track from the smooth female vocals that also feature alongside Wilson’s throughout and the piano part you can gently hear in the background. Can I just rewatch The Get Down instead?

Next is “Hole In My Soul,” which is a song I am wholly unimpressed by. It seems that drummer Vijay Mistry has been handed a drum machine for most of this album so far, and Peanut is definitely getting his keyboard work in for this album. At least some hints of Andrew “Whitey” White’s guitar can be heard, but I am struggling to find Simon Rix’s basslines anywhere in this overproduced mess. “Parachute” is another overproduced single. Something about the lyrics “If we've only got one parachute / You know I'd give it to you,” make me think of Bruno Mars’ “Grenade” for some reason. That is probably not a good thing.

“Good Clean Fun” provides Wilson not even sounding like himself. Is this really him? It almost sounded like him trying to do his best Chris Martin impression, and we all know how I feel about Chris Martin. “Why you so sad? / Sex makes everything better, better / Why you so mad?” What am I listening to right now? I assume this song is supposed to be humorous, but it just falls flat. “Why Do You Do It To Me?” continues this trend of muddled vocals, but I am so thankful for how prominent Whitey’s guitar and Mistry’s drums in this song. I can actually hear every instrument, and that is what I want from a Kaiser Chiefs album.

And we’re back at some disco fun at “Indoor Firework.” It feels as though the deeper you go into the album, the less overproduced the music is, and for that I am thankful. I hate these songs less, but they are still disappointing. “Indoor Firework” has a nice piano part, so good work on that, Peanut. There is a voice telling the listener “This is pop music. We are writing and recording pop music.” at the start of “Press Rewind” as if to hammer in the point that Kaiser Chiefs have turned on their heels to walk away from rock to go towards pop music. Gasp, this is Wilson’s Chris Martin impression and they are trying to be Coldplay. Betrayal. I take back what I said earlier because we are back to an overproduced song.

“Happen In a Heartbeat” is overproduced, and I am starting to realize how extremely repetitive all the lyrics in this album are. I think this could have worked nicely in an 80’s movie or an episode of “Miami Vice.” I have so many questions about “High Society” and what Wilson’s goals are with this method of singing. Why do I feel like this is their attempt at a Blur song? No. You know what, I don’t hate “Sunday Morning.” This is not a bad song. You get one, Kaiser Chiefs. The song manages to sound cool and has the right amount of production. It does not sound fully like traditional Kaiser Chiefs, but it does have some of the dance elements they’re trying to go for. I can appreciate this one perhaps.

Finally, we have reached the end. Come at me, “Still Waiting.” This is another not too bad song, I suppose. Lots of production, but the song is not drowning in it, and at the heart of it, I can feel Kaiser Chiefs. Maybe I would go as far to say this is my favorite song so far on the album, actually. It turns out there’s a hidden track at the end of the album, “Lazor Jam.” I’m not particularly impressed with it and don’t care for it. The album could have done without it. I wish I had not heard it, honestly.

Overall, the album disappoints me. The production is out of control at times and then sometimes it’s like Kaiser Chiefs did not know what band they even wanted to be in the song. If I had to pick a favorite song, it would be “Still Waiting” and “Why Do You Do It To Me?” The worst part of Stay Together was probably “Lazor Jam” because it somehow managed to be a truly terrible song, but I also cannot stand “Hole In My Soul” or “Parachute.” The most confusing moment in the album is easily “High Society.” Basically, all your favorites will disappoint you one day.