| Highly touted in Britain as the next big band since Oasis, Kasabian plays stoner music in the vein of Primal Scream, the Stone Roses and the Happy Mondays (think more 1990 than 2005). Their groove-influenced rock and cold, pulp-novel lyrics cast a hallucinogenic and inviting spell. On this debut, Kasabian get their rocks off from beat heavy tracks in “Club Foot,” “Reason is Treason,” and “Test Transmission” with no-holds barred, Stones-like attitude; on more danceable fare like “Processed Beats” and “LSF,” Kasabian acknowledges a hip-hop influence so pronounced that you can envision the crowd waving their arms in concert. The swirling electronic sounds, however, add a cathedral-like, haunting Goth influence as if to undermine the music’s festive atmospherics. Vocalist Tom Meighan comes across appropriately as a charismatic bullish frontman, and guitarist Sergio Pizzorno artfully constructs Kasabian’s distinct sound and dark vision. In contrast to today’s hot and thoughtful Brit bands like Coldplay and Travis, Kasabian is blunt and in your face. Apparently heartfelt, mushy sentiment is not this group’s calling card. |