YOU could not help but take notice when the Kaiser Chiefs burst onto the music scene.

The Leeds band's infectious number one hit, Ruby, took over the airwaves and got into people's heads for months while tracks like I Predict a Riot, Everyday I Love You Less and Less and Oh My God filled dance floors at indie clubs.

That was 11 years ago but it will feel a lot longer after listening to the quintet's sixth album, Stay Together.

Kaiser Chiefs have substituted their early new wave and punk rock influences for pure pop.

It is telling that the record has been produced by Brian Higgins, who has worked with Girls Aloud, and mixed by Serban Ghenea, who is known for studio sessions with Taylor Swift.

That would be OK if it was any good – there is nothing wrong with pop – but this is hardly Daft Punk.

Perhaps songwriter Ricky Wilson is running on empty because the record's lead singles, Parachute and Hole In My Soul, are possibly the most substanceless, lyrically inane songs in Kaiser Chiefs' back catalogue.

But Stay Together's biggest crime is the lack of variety.

Every track is a rigorously polished, over-produced attempt at a dance pop song. But there is nothing to bridge the gap between the band's new direction and rock roots.

Ruby was always a big pop song but it sat among an album of great variety, unlike this.

High Society has a bit of a Gomez vibe to it and the lyrics in Sunday Morning might make you smile but other than that there are really no surprises here.

- Stay Together is out on Friday

DAVID MORGAN