Kasabian
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Record Label
Rating: 4
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third release from English electro-indie group Kasabian. If their second release Empire disappointed fans of their first self-titled release, WRPLA steps back to solidify the band’s foundation as a solid and electric rock group – perfect as a soundtrack for speeding (on your bike, of course).
This 52-minute album mixes their signature fast-paced style with several dreamier tunes. WRPLA features fewer electrified, The Matrix-worthy tracks than their previous albums (such as their popular “Club Foot“). It’s less intense than their previous albums but by far more dynamic, leaning closer to the whole “journey” transitional feeling while still containing all the inherent coolness present in every Kasabian release.
Lead singer Tom Meighan’s singing is often reminiscent of Paul McCartney’s boyish vocals on multiple tracks, and at times confirms the common and unfortunate comparisons to Oasis‘ Noel Gallagher (not entirely a bad thing, musically). The sliding and synth-like backup vocals complement his vocals with a smooth consistency that makes one wonder how they’d duplicate the effect live.
Still, Kasabian really shines when they turn back to their pulsey, effected beats in tracks like “Fire” and the opener “Underdog,” which heavily utilize a driving and repetitive drum section. This is arguably the strongest part of Kasabian, a band whose coolness never strays too far from cohesion.
Give these tracks a listen:
“West Ryder Silver Bullet“
“Underdog“
For fans of:
LCD Soundsystem
Unkle
The Fratellis
