With their distinctive electro-infused rock sound, often described as a mix between The Stone Roses and Primal Scream with 'the swagger of Oasis', the Leicestershire-based quartet shot onto the rock scene with their eponymous debut album in 2004. In a relatively short time frame of just eight years, the band have gone on to release a further three albums, the latest of which being 'Velociraptor!', an eleven-track strong mix of candid laments of lost love and drug and alcohol dependence, arguably some of the band's finest and most emotionally raw work to date.
Without a doubt, the stand-out track of the record is the dark, edgy and appropriately named 'Switchblade Smiles'. The track is a real pulse-raiser thanks to the clanging guitar riff, bursting infusion of electronic undertones and what could only be described as 'neolithic' howling from guitarist Sergio Pizzorno within the first two minutes of the song, which then leads into what has developed into the catchphrase for the song, 'Can you feel it coming?' This is often used by the band and fans during live shows to build suspense and excitement in the crowd.
The record slows down following the bold and upbeat album opener, 'Let's Roll Just Like We Used To,' which has a bouncing, almost jazzy rhythm, creating an air of nostalgia. Heartfelt tracks such as 'La Fee Verte' begin to unfold as the album progresses, which contains subtle Beatles references, clearly citing the historic rock 'n' roll band as one of Kasabian's musical influences; 'I see Lucy in the sky, telling me I'm high...' This also conveys the underlying message about the effect of drugs and alcohol (La Fee Verte translates as 'the green fairy' which is a common connotation for absinthe in historic literature) and the song explores the idea of a person's spiralling demise as a result of fame. The previous track, 'Goodbye Kiss', also explores this recurring theme of pain and heartache with sincere emotion clearly being conveyed by the band's lead singer, Tom Meighan. The track later went on to be covered by indie songstress, Lana Del Rey.
The album ends on a high with 'Neon Noon', with its chilled and stripped back melody that is both incredibly calming yet uplifting. It is complimented beautifully by the song's music video, which is both smooth, creative and psychedelic. The inspiration for the video was explained by Pizzorno exclusively on Kasabian's official website; 'I was at home turning off Ennio's night light and I noticed that it was projecting psychedelic images on my shirt so I decided to shoot a little video for Neon Noon using my phone and four mirrors.' Once again this is a particularly nostalgic track with subtle Beatles-esque undertones and soulful, idealistic lyrics, 'Hands turn to dust, psychic waves fill the air...' It certainly closes what can easily be described as a heartfelt album on a high note, and one thing is for definite: 'Velociraptor!' has a huge presence and leaves a lasting impact on listeners.
I suppose the question on everyone's lips is where will they go next? The band have successfully managed to produce four very different-sounding albums, but have stayed true to their iconic sound, consolidating their status as rock royalty. This album is full of surprises and whilst it may have disappointed somewhat by not managing to crack the Billboard Top 200 charts upon its first week of release in the United States, it certainly proved a hit amongst UK listeners, so surely it can only be onwards and upwards for one of Britain's greatest alternative acts...
Kasabian - Switchblade Smiles
Kasabian - Neon Noon
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