Velociraptor!

Songwriter Sergio Pizzorno has been stating that Velociraptor! is Kasabian's "jukebox record," and on the first listen, I understood what he meant. To me it feels like a Master's Thesis in rock and roll; Kasabian's take on almost every genre for the past 50 years. There's the electro-club dance piece ("I Hear Voices"), the hip hop influenced one ("Days Are Forgotten"), the techno-industrial headbanger ("Switchblade Smiles"), the 80s hair-band big rocker ("Re-wired"). With such a wide range of styles, there is something for almost everyone to appreciate. But the truly amazing thing about Velociraptor! is that it is such a unified work for something so ambitiously diverse. It gelled for me immediately, but I know a number of people who have said that it's a grower, that it takes a few listens before it really starts to impress.

There are two things which hold it together - the first and most obvious is the quality of the songwriting. Serge Pizzorno is the man when it comes to writing catchy rock hooks. But it's deceptively simple - a deeper examination reveals the subtle touches on every piece: a syncopated handclap, the sound of a typewriter, a burst of orchestration, a new attention to the gorgeous harmonies created when Pizzorno's soaring voice wraps around Meighan's earthy vocals (as in the chorus to "Let's Roll Just Like We Used To"), or the opposite, when Pizzorno's dreaminess is grounded by Meighan ("Acid Turkish Bath"). Each song is built around a melody, simple, pristine, a big chorus seemingly heading to an apparent culmination, only to have the listener's expectations confounded when the piece twists in an entirely different direction - or two, or three. It's like the movie plot you know you've seen before, which then takes a sudden left turn to a conclusion more satisfying for the surprise. Kasabian has often been accused of being derivative, but that's just careless listening. The band may be unafraid to flaunt its past influences, but they gain new meaning in this different context, in juxtaposition with other influences - which is Pizzorno's real genius. He's a mad scientist in a rock and roll laboratory, splicing together genes from Britpop, traditional Middle Eastern music, even Motown to create rare and beautiful chimeras. This has always been Kasabian's method - on Velociraptor! it's raised to a new level of artistry.

The other impressive aspect is the way the album is structured. It starts with a gong and a piece about boyhood friendships ("Let's Roll Just Like We Used To"). It ends with ethereal synths and a piece contemplating eternity ("Neon Noon"). In between, it ranges from hot sex ("Re-wired") to heartbreak ("Goodbye Kiss"), from world-weary dissolution ("La Fee Verte") to mature self-assertion ("Man of Simple Pleasures"). All this sounds so serious - but it's set against a background of over-the-top rock grandstanding, and quite a bit of cheeky humor. The album is punctuated with the occasional dinosaur growl from Pizzorno, while Meighan delivers the infectiously silly chorus of the title track, "Velociraptor/He gonna find ya/He gonna kill ya/He gonna eat ya," with an intensity appropriate for the second coming of Mick Jagger. And Velociraptor! isn't beyond a sneaky gut-punch...the placement of the punk-pop title track after the dreamy "Fee Verte" is sheer genius - yes, Tom and Serge, I'm awake now! I usually consider myself queen of the mix tape, but I'm very reluctant to listen to any of these pieces out-of-context - I want to hear Velociraptor! in its entirety.

I've actually been trying not to listen to Velociraptor! too much, for fear I'll tire of it...but I realized this morning that it doesn't matter since it's been playing in my head straight on from the first time I heard it. I suppose that's the biggest compliment you can pay to any record.

Kasabian return with album number 4 the weirdly titled "Velociraptor", so it should come as no surprise that this is one of Kasabian's most ambitious albums to date, not bad for a band that has seen lazy journalism call Kasabian, Oasis clones and labelled them lad rock. While Kasabian might share some of Oasis confidence and swagger their music has always been more closely linked to Primal Scream, Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and even 70's glam rock. A quick look back at their 3 previous albums would show a band not scared to experiment with different styles and sounds.

The album opens with "Let's Roll Like We Used To" which sees songwriter Serge Pizzorno looking back at the early days before they made it big. It's a good start to the album. On "Days Are Forgotten" the track starts off with some big beats and a funky groove and features some lyrics that have a nice dig at their critics. There's the brilliance of the Beatles-esque sounding "La Fée Verte" which is sung by Pizzorno. Add that to Kraftwerk sounding "I Hear Voices" and it shows that Kasabian are willing to experiment in as many styles of music as possible.

The title track "Velociraptor!" is a big sounding stomp that has Tom spitting out his lyric's, not to many bands could pull off a song about a dinosaur with out sounding stupid. There's the epic "Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter from the Storm)" which at over 6 minutes long sounds like Kashmir era Led Zeppelin. The album features two big tracks that are made for playing live the brilliant "Re-Wired" with its big chorus and the beat driven "Switchblade Smiles" a song that won't full be appreciated until it's played live.

With the deluxe edition you get the full near 2 hour show from the O2 in Dublin, Ireland from November 2009, it's mixed in full surround as well. The Deluxe Edition comes in a white box set and contains the lyrics of all the tracks as well as poster of the black artwork of the album. One drawback of the white is that it marks really easy so it's best to handle with care!

With every album kasabian seem to make another stride musically, and "Velociraptor!" is no exception. For a band that talk big and don't lack confidence it's important they back it up strong musically and with "Velociraptor!" they certainly do. This could be the album that takes Kasabian from the arenas to Stadium Headliners!

First off I will say that there is a reason Kasabian is #1 with this album in Britain (their 3rd straight). They are great musicians and write songs that take very little listening to get into. This is a band with layers. You can easily hear their title track Velociraptor! and like it in one listening. You do not need to consider putting it on a playlist, or consider listening to it later to get a better feel for it. You know from the first 30 seconds that the song is good. Then as your listening to the lyrics a smile comes over you because you start to realize that the title is not an effin metaphor, but an actual song about dinosaurs. Its one of those moments that makes you glad you picked up this cd. That to me is the best thing about Kasabian. You find yourself listening to something that is, for the most part, unlike most songs out there. Yet they sound like something thats out there. Makes no sense I know, but this band is one of those groups that will make you enjoy music and make you realize that good music can still be made. I remember the first time I found certain groups for the first time. Its magical. I remember the first time I realized the brilliance of The Beatles, the skill of Eddie Van Halen, the voice of Eddie Vedder, the cohesion of a Strokes song and those moments stick out. Listening to Kasabian is another of those moments and you will not go wrong by not only listening to their latest, but go back and listen to all of their work. You will recognize some songs, then slap yourself for not realizing that this group is not just a commercial playing clip, but a full-blown rockin band who will give you many many hours of enjoyment. Even their radio station visit cover of Gwen Stefani's The Sweet Escape is a treat... Check them out America and give Nickelback a rest for one evening.