Kasabian’s last album ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’ was heralded as their masterpiece, ‘Velociraptor!’ is the band’s Holy Grail! Less than 10 years ago, the band was an unsigned and totally clueless group of friends, 10 years on, they are quite the opposite.
As the band members are now entering their 30s, ‘Velociraptor!’ brings something fresh to Kasabian’s vast array of talent. Songs of nostalgia and youthful reminiscence dominate the album. It could be said that some tracks on the album are a nod to the music of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Every track on the album is somewhat significant and many life-long Kasabian fans will notice the change in direction for the band on ‘Velociraptor!’
Kasabian at Wembley Arena, 2009
Track 1 – Let’s Roll Just Like We Used To
This song opens with a horn section very reminiscent of ‘Paint It Black’, by The Rolling Stones. The mood seems very calm then starts the rocking riff and lyrics about two kids on a wasteland looking to the horizon. Kasabian’s lead guitarist, Serge Pizzorno, commented that the song is ‘kind of a love letter to Tom (Kasabian’s front man Tom Meighan)’. The song was written about best friends Serge and Tom’s life on their farm where they recorded the bands self titled debut album. Perhaps the only negative thing about this song is that it feels out of place as an opening track, and is not strong enough.
7/10
Track 2 – Days Are Forgotten
This is Kasabian at their very best, very recognizable with Tom’s voice and Serge pumping out a very blues-like riff. A very catchy chorus and almost scary chant like sound; ‘Days Are Forgotten’ makes for a very catchy track. Released as the first single from ‘Velociraptor!’ the song has gained much airplay on significant radio stations such as BBC’s Radio 1. Fans are very much in love with this song, and despite being new, it has already been proved a fan favourite at gigs.
9/10
Track 3 – Goodbye Kiss
Easily the standout track on the album, but the strangest thing, you would hardly think that it was even a Kasabian song! A song of melancholy featuring strings and acoustic guitars, ‘Goodbye Kiss’ seems to tell the story of a relationship that has ended before it has even begun, possibly a past event for one of the songwriters. This is a truly emotional song, something not normally associated with the band, and however, it shows how the bands direction has changed from their debut up until now. A song like this would not have been welcomed on any of their previous albums given the style and nature, but for some reason, it fits perfectly on ‘Velociraptor!’
10/10
Track 4 – La Fée Verte
Opening with what sounds like a soundtrack from a travelling circus, this track already begins to sound like a mystery. Then comes the acoustic guitar and Serge’s recognizable voice singing about Green Fairy (a nickname for absinthe) as if it is a person, which may have been the case if hallucinations were caused by this poison. The song sounds like something that was left off of ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ by The Beatles. Ironically, Serge even sings the lyric “I see Lucy in the sky, tell me I’m high”, very obviously a nod to Liverpool’s favourite ‘fab four’. This could very well be Serge’s tribute about a personal past time.
8/10
Track 5 – Velociraptor!
The album’s title track, and what a gem it is! Kick-starting where ‘La Fée Verte’ ends, this song is as rocky as Kasabian get. With simple yet smart lyrics brilliant poised by Tom, Velociraptor has the potential to be a hit with crowds at concerts. The mini bridge which Serge sings also sees the guitarist start to growl like a dinosaur, the closest thing to a Velociraptor you will hear on the album. There is much potential for a future single release.
9/10
Track 6 – Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter From The Storm)
Kasabian meets Led Zeppelin in this epic of a track. Many people would quote this track as being Kasabian’s version of ‘Kashmir’ by Led Zeppelin, but that would be an unfair comparison. This song is indeed very similar with its use of a strong strings section but the song changes its style 36 seconds in where we now hear more of a slow rocky song. Yet again, Serge really shows his vocal talent on this track, despite not being the lead singer in the band.
9/10
Track 7 – I Hear Voices
The only track on the album that feels out of place, the track is still a very good song. It features a prominent use of synthesizers, something which has not been prominent on a Kasabian album since their debut. The song sounds like it could be a mix for fans of chill out music because of its slow pace but Kasabian would not want to be associated with that genre of music.
6/10
Track 8 – Re-Wired
Very heavy rock orientated, Re-Wired is one of the stand out tracks on ‘Velociraptor’ and could prove to be a very welcome addition to Kasabian’s catalogue of hits. The song features a prominent guitar riff that sounds very similar to ‘Kids with Guns’ by Gorillaz. Live performances have proved (like a majority of the album) that the song has the potential to go down well with audiences.
9/10
Track 9 – Man Of Simple Pleasures
Opening with riffs and sound effects out of a film that could star John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, ‘Man Of Simple Pleasures’ offers more than just a track for a cowboy film. The song features some very clever lyrics about a man who is lost on a road to nowhere and finds pleasure in the simple things of life. Another song primarily featuring acoustic guitars, this track sounds like it is the ‘Thick As Thieves’ (from 3rd album ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’) of ‘Velociraptor!’
8/10
Track 10 – Switchblade Smile
Opening with a punching synthesizer riff, this sounds like old Kasabian, but then comes Serge singing in a ghostly tone, and now the song has changed from the old days to something more reminiscent of ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’. Tom joins in with the opening verse and synthesizer makes a change, and all of a sudden Serge starts screaming, a thumping drum beat kicks in, then the guitars starts rocking! This is a track which builds up within just over a minute. It is a track which seems to progress throughout its entirety. The song was released as a preview single and received generally positive reviews and was even included on FIFA 12. The track has also been used on BBC1’s Match of the Day.
9/10
Track 11 – Neon Moon
Another track which sounds like a nod to The Beatles but this song has a big difference, it features synthesizers about half way through the track all the way to the end. Some people have commented that this is perhaps the weakest song on the album but it comes across as a solo effort by Serge and he gives it his all in this track and deserves a lot of credit for it. A brilliant way to end a brilliant and magnificent album.
7/10
A very British end to Kasabian's Wembley spectacle.
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