Kasabian - Velociraptor!

One of the most eagerly-anticipated albums of the year is here at last, so here's what I thought of Kasabian's 'Velociraptor!'

The bets are off. Oasis imploded to leave the lad’s choice rock band up for grabs, but that title has been taken. No, not quite by Arctic Monkeys, who are still just that little bit to hesitant. No, Muse are too hard-edged, and no, Coldplay aren’t nearly hard-edged enough. Nope, step up Kasabian.

Strutting in with Gallagher confidence, Stone Roses grooves and a healthy dose of rock ‘n’ roll nostalgia, new album ‘Velociraptor!’ sees the Leicester boys rise to that stadium-sized alter. Confident, anthemic throughout, yet experimental, inventive and ever changing, it’s addictive from first listen, packed to the brim with exemplary tunes and shows Tom Meighan and Serge Pizzorno are now at the head of British music.

Arriving full of suaveness and swagger, Tom croons through classic opener ‘Let’s Roll Like We Used To’, which gives a nod in the direction of the Last Shadow Puppets, and the quality doesn’t drop. Storming lead single ‘Days Are Forgotten’ stands as one of their most anthemic songs yet, just as sing-along thumper ‘Re-wired’ and bouncing electro-rock ‘Velociraptor!’ will very soon.

‘Goodbye Kiss’ is a slick, climbing ballad with some piercing lines (‘Run along like I’m supposed/Be the man I ought to/Rock and roll sent us insane/I hope someday that we will meet again‘ is the pick), while ‘Man of Simple Pleasures’ is a slow-paced languid rocker. ‘Switchblade Smiles’ lifts the latter half with a spontaneous Prodigy-esque groove with a hard guitar edge.

But it wouldn’t be recognisably Kasabian if it wasn’t for that neo-psychedelia, and on ‘Velociraptor!’ it has never been better. ‘I Hear Voices’ is a sparse but instantly likeable head-bobber which wins it with the line ‘They hunt for rabbits/Just like Yosemite Sam’, while ‘Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter From The Storm) evolves into a constantly shifting, almost prog-rock six minute wonder. The winner though is ‘La Fee Verte’; Serge with a deliciously-tempting vocal, an undeniable chorus and that spaced-out, drug-fuelled subversion we all know and love, though it almost topped by the chilled and mellow brilliance of perfect closer ‘Neon Noon’.

It’s impossible to pick the best track out of a high-quality eleven, and who would want to? They have all their cards on the table; the shout-‘em-out, grab-the-lad’s anthems, the infectious psychedelia and the mellow come-downs. It’s confident and assured, easy-going but interesting and seals their assent to the summit of British rock ‘n’ roll. Coming to a stadium near you soon.

Great record, and extremely hard to pick a favourite tune, but I've plumped for 'La Fee Verte'.

NWR