Kasabian - Velociraptor!

by Anthony Strutt

published: 27 / 10 / 2011

Label: Columbia
Format: CD

Surprising fourth album from Kasabian which finds them moving away from their guitar rock roots and influenced by the sounds of the Beatles and the Beach Boys

Review

‘Velociraptor!’is named after a dinosaur and is the follow up to Kasabian’s well received third album, ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’, from 2009. Kasabian always to me were a bit too laddish in their musical output, sounding as if they had stolen the best bits of the Stone Roses and Primal Scream. ‘Velociraptor!’ is, however, a different sort of beast all together. ‘Let's Roll Just Like We Used to’ starts off this fifty minute album, And here they are a completely different sounding band. It is as if they have just discovered the Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’ and Love’s ‘Forever Changes’ and just made it their own, which is fine by me. ‘Days are Forgotten’ was the first single and came out on limited ten inch vinyl. It sounds quite baggy and loose, and is similar in a lot of ways to the Arctic Monkeys in its beats. ‘Goodbye Kiss’ is very poppy and commercial, and radio friendly enough to make a good choice for a single. ‘La Fee Veste’ is reminiscent of the Beatles’ ‘Sergeant Pepper’. It is a slow burner and a good ride. The title track is more like the old school Kasabian, but ‘Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter from the Storm)’ again recollects the Beatles and with its new world feel sounds like something that George Harrison might have written. ‘I Hear Voices’ is like Kraftwerk in its electro sound. ‘Re-Wired’ is dance based with a big pop sound. ‘Man of Simple Pleasures’ sounds like a sing-a-long Blur track. ‘Switchblade Smile’ is another electro number with noisy dance beats. ‘Neon Neon’ ends the album and is like one of the chilled out tracks from’ Revolver’. A decent album and not what one might expect from Kasabian.

Track Listing:-

1 Let's Roll Just Like We Used To
2 Days Are Forgotten
3 Goodbye Kiss
4 La Fee Verte
5 Velociraptor!
6 Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter from the Storm)
7 I Hear Voices
8 Re-Wired
9 Man of Simple Pleasures
10 Switchblade Smiles
11 Neon Noon

Band Links:-

http://www.kasabian.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/kasabian
https://twitter.com/KasabianHQ
https://www.youtube.com/user/KasabianV
https://www.instagram.com/kasabianoffi