Velociraptor! by Kasabian: Review by David Mc Partlin

Following their recent epic offering ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’, Kasabian return like a well oiled Mercedes post servicing, with their latest studio album ‘Velociraptor’. The opener ‘Lets Roll Just Like We Used To’ with its Miles Kane/Alex Turner similarities, shows front-man Tom Meighan’s vocals mixing with perfectly accompanied soothing strings & horns. This is a fine opener which instantly grabs the listener’s imagination. ‘Days Are Forgotten’ is a sure fire stadium anthem, its grasping opening vocals instantaneously jumping up & grabbing you – the following four minutes of the track likewise. ‘Goodbye Kiss’ is quite possibly the stand out track of the album, a proper rock & roll love ballad, penned by a more sensitive Sergio Pizzorno, who despite the simplicity of this track in its brilliance, has accepted that both personally & musically he is no longer a raw product but a standing giant amongst his contemporaries. Meighan’s lustful vocals capture reflecting images of complicated love, a song that frighteningly ensures that the hairs remain standing long after his voice fades out at track end.

The following track ‘La Fee Verte’ contrastingly contains simple Beatles like inspirations and a typical Kasabian psychadelic feel, its harrowing lines ala West Ryder’s. On the album title track ‘Velociraptor’ they revert to type, with another fine proper rock anthem. ‘Acid Turkish Bath’ is deeply rooted in eastern influence, suggesting a band seriously content in its present condition. This is further emphasised on ‘I Hear Voices’. ‘Re-Wired’ is perhaps the one song that unifies the album, a bringing together of everything which creates a high, energetic cocksure output. On ‘Man Of Simple Pleasures’ its a throughback to a different time. ‘All of my life, been treated like a fool, but I’m no one’s fool’ – state the obvious there Serg, that is one thing you will never hear someone label you!

‘Switchblade Smiles’ is a serious monstrosity of a song with its torturous bass & destructive drums, Kasabian at full throttle basically. A serious teaser for the fans living for the tour dates. ‘Velociraptor’ closes with ‘Neon Neon’, an appropriate song to end the journey, a song that philosophises the evolution of time, perhaps quite regrettably. It’s the critics who could suggest that it is the least creative offering from Leicester’s finest, however, one could add that its simplicity is what seperates it from the previous, therefore making it their most experimental.

Most notably, Velociraptor is perhaps the most diverse, track wise, than its predecessors. Kasabian are a band certainly at the pinnacle of what has been out there for the last decade, but have still a long way to go before becoming one of the all time acclaimed greats, but without doubt they will get there in time.
 
4/5

David Mc Partlin