Analysis of CD pack

Kaiser Chiefs – Employment

From the front cover that you get on this CD you sense that the band are trying to give it an authentic look because of the type of pictured texture with the lumpy black leather texture on it and the ripped, worn away edges making it look timeworn. The reason the band did this might be because they want to be different and this is where their music comes in. The band would want to be different because it’s in indie nature to be unlike any other band, to be unique and for their music to be exceptional as well. This could be done from their style of clothing choice, their songs or what happens inside the music video. This band could be classed as an indie band because of the type of music they produce and how they portray themselves in their music videos. For instance their music video which was their main song for this album was “I predict a riot”, and if you watched the video they have based the video in an older time. This then could be linked back to the old fashioned feel to the cover and also the old fashioned boarder around the writing. The front cover that you get is very plain and simple but yet effective in the sense that you get the worn texture feel to it to make the cover look antique. The use of a boarder around the text and the text itself shows a very unique look to it from the text font and the eye catchy boarder around the text. This is what indie stereotypes are attracted to because it looks very distinctive and imaginative.

Because the genre of music that The Kaiser chief’s create is indie music the typical thing you would want to find in this album is more music of the same genre happening through the CD’s also spotting the “special Features sticker on the bottom left corner you might expect bonus features such as lyrics t songs or even additional bonus tracks. The look of the album you should find quite creative and at the same time unique because it’s in indie nature to be unique.

Then when you look inside the CD you can find the CD and also the inside booklet that goes with it. This is the back of the booklet which gives you a feel of what is to come in the booklet. I can see from looking at this that it is still going with the theme of an older fashioned look, the booklet still looks warn and antique. The words that are written on the page are that of different typography that you might have found on posters in an older time era. The words read “new is games, the latest and best”. Then down the bottom “may be seen at all stationers and fancy dealers”. If I linked that to the video of “I predict a riot” and the time era in which it is set I can then make the link that it was most likely of the time where people would have posters of what was happening in a carnival like a bearded woman etc. Plus how all the words are shown it gives you an opening for what’s in store. For instance right at the start of the “I predict a riot” video the main circus presenter opened a tent and let you into the music video. This booklet is using this idea by letting you in to the world of the Kaiser Chiefs. Then if you look at the CD it has a completely different feel to the booklet because of all the vibrant colours on the CD. If you look closely though it is a spinning wheel which represents a game and this links to the booklet talking about “New is Game”. This shows the audience that what’s in store could play games with you.

As you open the cover the first Object you come across on the left page is “this CD belongs to …”. This would be a good technique of getting the audience of involved and engaged with the CD, again having that authentic look to it helps with the theme of an aged Booklet. An anintertextual reference that fits in well and relates courteously to the Booklet is from Katie Wales which stated “Genre is… An intertextual concept”, this fundamentally says that The CD booklet is made to look like something it isn’t, for example in this case the CD booklet is meant to look as if it were a board game. On the contrasting side you again get a heading that reads “how to play, and exciting new CD suitable of six million listeners” this has been done quite cunningly to the point that they have tried to make the CD booklet feel and look just like a game board. With the use of the phrase “for over six million users” is a cleaver reference to other board games that state on the box “for age 3+”.Bbelow are the lyrics to each song with the first being “every day I love you less and less”. With this booklet referencing board games in a parody construction your expectation of this would be because of how it is set out and knowing that indie music is very unique it gives the impression that you are going on an adventure with the band.

On the next pages along again it explores repetition using the background as the same board game as the previous pages. You then find the lyrics all of the songs on their album. This would help the audience because it shows not only the lyrics but tells the reader that the band have taken time to portray their lyrics. This is done possibly to show the audience what the songs are about and how the band is feeling about a particular topic through the text.

If you look at the following page you see that there is an image of some money on a game board. This shows a representation of the game monopoly through the use of a parody by having a Kaiser chief member as the monopoly guy in the money. This relates back to Gunther Kress’s theory that stated “Genre is a kind of text that derives its form from the structure of social occasion with its characteristic participants and their purposes”. The reason this band has chosen to parody monopoly suggests that this is a technique to try and expand their target market into a family market as well as the indie genre.

Then linked to that is the next page with the same game board and the background but this time playing cards are on the table with pictures of each band member, their name and what instrument they play. This gives the reader an insight to the band and who they are. From seeing these board games show up you could link this to the band trying to get more involve and expand their music to family audiences or they might want the audience to feel as if they are full of games and surprises.

On the next page along you can clearly see that they have taken the game snakes and ladders and use it as their background and on top some little object from various other board games such as monopoly cards and a dice. Around the image is just saying about whom the management was, who the songs were mixed by and other studio information about the people who helped them with their music. Then that is followed by a thank you page on the opposite page with a list of names they are grateful for their help with the Kaiser chiefs.

Then finally at the back of the whole CD is just the list of songs that will feature in this CD. Also is a link to their website www.kaiserchiefs.co.uk which helps the group with getting more audiences in and buying their songs and merchandise.