West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

by

Kasabian

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I'm old enough to have seen rock music recycle itself several times over. In some ways this makes me jaded, not easily impressed by the latest 'hot act'. However about once every decade or so artists come along who make such a huge impression on me that I buy everything they produce, never stop listening to them, and they take their place in the playlist I'll be jamming to when the guy with the long scythe comes for me. In the 60s it was Free (Paul Rodgers), Hendrix and Small Faces; in the 70s it was Bad Company (Paul Rodgers again), Skids (Stuart Adamson) and Santana; in the 80s it was Big Country (Stuart Adamson again), The Cure and R.E.M. In the 90s I was blown away by Pearl Jam and The Verve. Now, with no disrespect to The Cure and R.E.M., who both put out perhaps their best albums in 15 years in 2008, the last 5 years have for me been dominated by Kasabian and Interpol. About Kasabian: I have sons who are older than Tom, Serge & co but that doesn't detract from my awestruck reaction to Kasabian as a band. Everything I have ever loved about British music is emcompassed in Kasabian's first three albums and this latest offering, West Ryder, etc. is perhaps the best of them all. If a better album comes out this year I'll be surprised. Buy it, you won't be sorry.

Let me preface this review by saying I normally don't write reviews. I usually read them. And the fact that this album has been met with mixed praise from critics makes me wonder what I sometimes miss by relying on the good folks at Popmatters, CMG, Pitchfork, etc.

This album is fairly good. I've enjoyed it a lot more than many other albums this year that I've checked out. I bought this along with 3 other albums recently, and I keep going back to it.

I don't know what to really say about it other than the songs are catchy and I've already listened to it repeatedly. Some albums you really need to sit down, pay attention, and maybe even listen to many, many times before they begin to grow on you. This is not one of those albums. You pop it in, turn it up, and enjoy.