Kasabian ‘Velociraptor!’ Review

On opening track Let’s Roll Like We Used To, you pray that the other songs are nothing like this, so good news the rest of the album is sensational. What is brilliant about this album is that it channels the past Kasabian sound and fuses it with a mix of Happy Mondays and Primal Scream; yet this is also its downfall, it’s not as new or classic as they themselves have hyped it to be, this isn’t to say that it isn’t a brilliant album because it is, it’s just not that exceptional nor is it that experimental. A key problem for me is that they think by adding synths they are creating an experiment even psychedelic sound but actually I would have preferred to hear more experimentation in their guitars, found on earlier albums, saying that Neon Noon is easily the best thing they have written. Lyrically it’s what you expect from a Kasabian album, they don’t make sense but you don’t actually care. What I love about this album though is the raw primal screaming, on such songs like Switchblade Smiles and the introduction of a trumpet; all blends well with the songs. I must emphasise this is really a brilliant album and will make people sit up and realise these are not thug rockers; but this album feels like a mere stepping stone to something much greater.

Key Songs: Neon Noon, Goodbye Kiss, Switchblade Smiles, Days Are Forgotten