Review Summary: The K Factor: Do Kasabian still have 'it' in their brand new album, 'Velociraptor!'?
When one thinks of Kasabian, the first thing that comes to mind has to be the riffs from such tracks as 'Club Foot', 'Fire', 'Underdog' and 'Empire'. Who didn't get shivers up their spine the first time they heard that opening to the 'Kasabian' album, or the 'West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum' record, or the 'Empire' album? Yes, I am aware that I've just named all of Kasabian's albums; this is for a very important reason. The opening to any Kasabian album is vital. It's what I like to call 'The K Factor'. The real question is: does 'Velociraptor!' have the K factor?
Let me start off by saying that I really, really like this album. It has a few truly great songs, it fits together nicely, and it is full of everything we've come to love about this indie rock band from Leicestershire. However, it seems necessary to say that my initial impressions were not so good. Where traditionally Kasabian have started off their albums with a high-energy, upbeat song with a killer riff, 'Velociraptor!' began in a different vein.
Ironically, the song that committed the heinous crime of changing a past formula is called 'Let's Roll Just Like We Used To'. It's a good song, but it's not the same kind of song as Kasabian's previous openers. It surprised me, but after a while it grew on me. I realized that I didn't want to be the one to condemn a band for trying something new - especially when it was, as it eventually dawned on me, working. From then on, I was enthralled. The whole album was obviously a Kasabian album, with the unmistakeable sound of 'normal' indie rock accompanied by Tom Meighan's typically British, slightly lethargic vocals, mixed with slightly psychedelic electronic elements in the background. But also, 'Velociraptor!' has its own sound, so that if you're listening to Kasabian on shuffle, you're going to know if a song from this album comes on.
The single, 'Days Are Forgotten', is up second, and instantly I'm hooked. Kasabian may have missed a trick by not putting this song first, but I can see why they did it. It effectively eases the listener into the album so that they're fully prepared when they first hear the masterpiece that is 'Days Are Forgotten'. It may not be classic Kasabian, but it's a good move.
Despite Kasabian's obvious (and, arguably, correct) belief that 'Days Are Forgotten' is the best song on the album, I think the whole work hinges around 'Velociraptor!'. The song has the same name as the album, which is instantly a reason to take notice of it, it's right in the middle at track 5, and it marks a significant change in sound. After 'La Fée Verte', a fairly slow and relaxed song, 'Velociraptor!' is like a slap in the face with a wet fish. In a good way. After that, the album takes on whole new meaning, as we are aware of what could happen at any moment, and a similar climax is reached a few songs later during 'Re-Wired.'
Overall, this is a very good album. It is a very good rock album, it's a very good Kasabian album, and it's a very good stand-alone album.
