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Speaking as someone who is rapidly falling behind in my technological literacy classes, I like the way the switches are flicked on this album.
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Speaking as someone who is rapidly falling behind in my technological literacy classes, I like the way the switches are flicked on this album.
They say that there is a crisis in education in Britain today, but if young men are allowed to live communally on farms, take far too many drugs, and tour relentlessly, playing every shit-hole from Bognor to Brechin, then only good can come of it.
Kasabian’s imaginatively titled debut album ‘Kasabian’ is a fine indictment of a misspent youth. When the fuzz driven hook bursts through the space-synth intro of ‘Club Foot’, they begin to let us see what they’ve learnt. It’s a great stoned, hammering track with wide aeons of Hawkwind keyboards, and as they merge in to new single ‘Processed Beats’ we can pretty much work out who their favourite teachers were. The Mondays and Stone Roses are obvious candidates but Kasabian have a harder rock and a hipper hop, and they’ve studied from a wider curriculum that includes everything from elementary 60’s pop to advanced Techno and beyond.
‘Reason Is Treason’ doffs it’s cap in the direction of MC5 and Stereolab, with it’s admirable pounding monotone, that takes a breath for a little gratuitous keyboard weirdness, only to return via the late 60’s, for more of it’s sneering refrain.
Speaking as someone who is rapidly falling behind in my technological literacy classes, I like the way the switches are flicked on this album. There is always an ear-catching sound around the corner; noises and loops from both the past and the future either bring a track back into focus, or do exactly the opposite to good effect, as in ‘L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)’.
Tracks from the album have already delivered 3 top 20 hits for Kasabian in Britain and that’s not without reason. They weave a lot of musical threads together and they come up with something that’s familiar yet all their own. If there’s a down side, it’s that the best tunes are all on the first half of the album and the surprises and infectious beats and riffs become less common as the album goes on.
‘Kasabian’ is a very good first effort, with 4 or 5 outstanding tracks and as long as they keep the nose of their Transit pointing up the road towards their next gig, the future looks bright for the Leicester boys with the classical rock ‘n’ roll education.
Words : Simon Reed