Psychedelic Lads Rock from Leicesters finest (West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum - Kasabian)

Member Name: MattJames

Product:	West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum - Kasabian
Date:	04/11/09 (12 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Many brilliant songs, including some of the best live songs written for years

Disadvantages: Sags a little in the middle

The Leicester band here offer a brilliant album, sounding like it is set in a 1970's movie. After a few years away, people wondered what Kasabian would come back with them, as they are after all, one of Britain's leading lights music wise. Who else better to take Oasis' crown of the premier British lads rock scene.

Opening with Underdog, the riff is an instant hook, as is the chorus, this is destined to be a live favourite on the upcoming tour. This song is one of the highlights of the album, if not the entire year of music, it packs a punch so strong but so accessible it is hard not to be swept up in the psychedelic feel of the song. Where Did All The Love Go? keeps up the frenetic pace, commenting on the yob culture. The melody and sound of the song are brilliant, but Kasabian should steer clear of talking about violence on the street and stick to what they're best at. Fast Fuse, a cut from a demo session years back makes it onto the album and again delivers a true bodyblow to the listener. Things eventually calm down through the middle salvo of Take Aim through West Ryder, the songs are good, but not as great as what has come before it.

Vlad the IMpaler and Fire are the two best songs on the album, both obvious live anthems, both songs are very intelligently written and have catchy chord and rhythm structures. Both are singalongs, and you really feel involved in the songs. Ending on Happiness is a stroke of genius, it is a soothing, relaxed songs, contemplating the frentic and sometimes bizzare songs before it. The choir is brilliant and completely unexpected and it's good to see the band experimenting.

Overall this album, has many more hits than misses, and even the misses could grace many others albums as highlights, they truly are in pole position to become the biggest band in Britain.

Summary: Brilliant return from one of Britain's most loved bands.