The Lunatics are playing at the Asylum

This morning I was alerted via Facebook that Stoxie had been incarcerated in the West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

As my fuzzy Saturday morning brain, (poisoned by a post work pub crawl with Chinny culminating in meeting up with respective birds and friends at the Green Dragon) tried to process what I was reading, it finally made sense.

Kasabians new album has been out since 5th June. Stoxie has bought it and enjoyed it, and I had forgotten all about it.

Oops....

A quick trip to iTunes, and balance in the universe has been restored, but is it any good?

1) Underdog - Good, steady opener. Trippy beats and Serges guitar reminiscent of the first excellent album. So far so good.

2) Where Did All the Love Go? - ooh er - it's all gone a bit Cock-er-ney for Leicesters finest. What's going on Tom? I still like it, it just sounds a bit odd. Sing us a-nov-ahhh one boys.

3) Swarfiga - An homage to the green gelatinous industrial hand cleanser? Nope just 2:18 of an urgent baseline, and no lyrics. I wash my hands of it!

4) Fast Fuse - Now this is good. Great riff. I'm nodding my head to it as hard and fast as it's swollen contents will allow. Feels a little bit psychedelic 60's at time, but it fucking rocks. I'm gonna have this riff in my head all day, and I ain't complaining.

5) Take Aim - The strings are out, and Tom sounds a bit pissed and confused. It's all layered electonica, fuzzy guitars and horns. Not a dancer, but certainly a come downer. Come home off your tits and wind down to it.

6) Thick as Thieves -We're stuck in the Sixties for this beautiful one. I can hear Ray Davis doing this, and it works for, as long as I don't get Bernard Cribbins sing about digging holes stuck in my head, because at times, it is just a teensy bit similar...or People are Strange by The Doors. Definitely wearing their influences on their sleeves, and rightly so.

7) West Ryder Silver Bullet - "Then I went down into the basement where my friend the maniac busies himself with his electronic graffiti. Finally his language touches me, because he talks to that part of us which insists on drawing profiles on prison walls. In that moment, poetry will be made by everyone, and there will be emus in the zone.."
As an opening poem read by a clearly unhinged women, it's not a typical song start. Man alive this is a weird one. Roll yourselves a big fat scooby and chill out to tripped out fucked up duet with American actress Rosario Dawson

8) Vlad the Impaler - Stub out that fat one and gobble down some disco bisuits. More killer riffs and dirty electronics....Get loose, get loose...You dancin'? I'm askin'.

9) Ladies and Gentlemen (Roll the Dice) - Another chill out. Sorry boys, but I can't really be arsed with this one. It's alright, just nothing special...

10) Secret Alphabets - More psychedelic. If the first album was to go clubbing with your mates to, then this is the one for when you come home mashed, and lie in a darkened room wondering whether you should roll one, or go raid the liqueur cabinet.

11) Fire - The first single off the album (bet Fast Fuse is next), and it's a stomper.Love it, love it, love it.

12) Happiness - The album ends on much the same vein it has tapped throughout. Chilled and whimsical. Sloppy dub breakbeats that you can tap along to, but not necessarily get up and dance.

All in all a fine album. Some great guitar hooks, and plenty of time for some downtime to ponder on the important hings in life.

Thanks for the reminder Stoxie, I think I shall spend the rest of the day incarcerated with you.