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KASABIAN Empire (Sony BMG) |
 IT'S Britrock review time, innit? What with several of the genre's best and brightest third-generation acts coughing up sophomore albums. Bloc Party's new release will be hitting these shores soon, the Kaiser Chiefs have already flattered to deceive, and now it's time for Kasabian. Taking their name from Linda Kasabian, Charles Manson's get- away driver, the band famously turned an old farmhouse into a commune, cuddling up with a laundry list of influences in order to concentrate on their self-titled first album. Backed by Rage Against The Machine-style guerrilla marketing, Kasabian's sound is immediately arresting. There's a bit of T. Rex, more than a hint of the Stone Roses, a love of obscure wordplay that shimmers with subtext, and a tryst with electronica that lends a surreal gloss to many of their songs. There' are even lashings of industrial rock, giving a listener of what Trent Reznor would sound like were he ever in a more upbeat mood. On Empire, Kasabian tones down the electronics, amplifies the glam rock, and lets loose with a sonic assault that doesn't pause for breath until it's almost over. The title track stomps its way into existence, rife with swagger and an irresistible rebel spirit, before the devious beats and swirling vocals of Shoot the Runner announces its presence. Last Trip (In Flight) and Sun Rise Light Flies offer enthralling, kaleidoscopic soundscapes, separated by the surprisingly dainty moments that Me Plus One features in between crunching guitars and a sinuous bass line. The only misstep present is Apnoea, which never catches its breath, but the enthralling and rather sinister By My Side quickly makes up for it. Next up is British Legion, the closest thing to a ballad on offer, before The Doberman takes everything, including the kitchen sink, and spirals to a glorious cli- max. Empire is one of those records that truly rewards repeat listens, not due to anything subliminal, but because there's so much happening at once that you're never going to be able to catch all of it after just one listen. A perfect example of this is the strident Stuntman, which has a deliciously subversive beat, and sinks its claws into a listener long before they realise it. Their eponymous debut may have the killer singles, but Empire is a much stronger effort, an addictive, sprawling mishmash of styles and influences that somehow attains coherency without ever striving for it. |
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