Kasabian [2009] The West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

[01] Underdog
[02] Where Did All The Love Go
[03] Swarfiga
[04] Fast Fuse
[05] Take Aim
[06] Thick As Thieves
[07] West Ryder Silver Bullet
[08] Vlad The Impaler
[09] Ladies And Gentlemen (Roll The Dice)
[10] Secret Alphabets
[11] Fire
[12] Happiness



amg: Most Kasabian albums are bloated pieces of work, having been created by some of the most assuredly loudmouthed rockers since the Gallagher brothers. West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is more demented than outsized, however, replacing the ego rock of Empire with a barmy blend of electronics, acoustics, thriller movie ambience, and industrial psychedelia. Producer Dan the Automator also adds touches of hip-hop to the mix, highlighting the band's rhythmic base by stripping back the layers of guitar and sampled synth. The result is an interesting, unexpected piece of work, devoid of a militantly commercial single like Empire's self-titled track, and lacking the shaggy Madchester vibes that Christopher Karloff brought to 2004's Kasabian. If the band's eponymous debut was the soundtrack to a drug-filled night in England's trendiest club, then West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the soundtrack to the ensuing walk home, when that club has kicked out its last patrons and the streets are dark and forbidding. There's enough psychedelia here to partially thwart the shadowy electronics — for every "Vlad the Impaler," there's a trippy counterpart like "Secret Alphabets" - and Kasabian often augments the new approach with old habits, such as the dance-rock chorus that bisects the anxious, minimalist shuffle of "Fire." The bulk of West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum canvasses unfamiliar territory, however, a wise move for a group that's routinely struggled to escape the shadow of its influences.
(amg 6/10)

Limp Bizkit [2008] Collected

[01] Pollution
[02] The Propaganda
[03] Build A Bridge
[04] The Story
[05] Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)
[06] Livin' It Up
[07] Show Me What You Got
[08] Behind Blue Eyes
[09] Getcha Groove On
[10] Nobody Like You
[11] Stuck
[12] Re-Arranged
[13] Counterfeit
[14] The Truth



amg: This 14-track European Limp Bizkit collection from Universal (cleverly titled Collected) features the hit singles "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle" and "Behind Blue Eyes" sandwiched between 12 album cuts. While it serves as a decent introduction, there are far better Fred Durst and company anthologies out there. Fans of the raucous rap/nu/alternative metal outfit would be better off with 2005's Greatest Hitz compilation which features the aforementioned hits along with other notable singles like "Faith," "Nookie," and "Break Stuff."
(amg 5/10)

Kelly Jones [2007] Only The Names Have Been Changed

[01] Suzy
[02] Rosie
[03] Liberty
[04] Katie
[05] Violet
[06] Jayne
[07] Misty
[08] Emily
[09] Jean
[10] Summer



nme: So, you’ve slayed the stadiums and become untouchable... now it’s time to get personal again. A wistful, whiskey-soaked lump of Johnny Cash-style self indulgence is what’s needed! All 10 tracks of the earnest, heartbreak missives that make up ‘Only...’ are named after women who are all in a bad place. Affairs (‘Jean’), shagging taxi drivers (‘Katie’), attempted murder (‘Emily’) – the Stereophonics’ frontman is looking down on their troubled souls with just an acoustic guitar and his sizeable god complex for company. For some, there’s no denying the affectation of Kelly’s soulful croon, but if this is getting back in touch, then we fear he might be suffering from a deadly strain of Stately Home Syndrome. The cure? Two years playing bass in Stuart Cable’s new band.
(nme 4/10)

Kasabian [2006] Empire

[01] Empire
[02] Shoot The Runner
[03] Last Trip (In Flight)
[04] Me Plus One
[05] Sun Rise Light Flies
[06] Apnoea
[07] By My Side
[08] Stuntman
[09] Seek & Destroy
[10] British Legion
[11] The Doberman



amg: Practicing truth in advertising, U.K. rockers Kasabian move away from the revolutionary sleeve art that graced their debut and onto something more ornate for their elaborate follow-up album, Empire. Attacking the sophomore jinx head-on, Empire tries hard to be urgent, epic, and important, and the grand mishmash of influences — the Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones — is delivered with all the conviction and swagger one desires from the scruffy crew with the Oasis-sized ego. Adding to this jumble are Sweet, Slade, and Ian Brown, who are all equally responsible for the opening title cut. Glammed-up rebel music, "Empire" is a satisfying, busy rocker that gives way to the interesting rave-up "Shoot the Runner," which would be very T. Rex if it wasn't for the Euro-disco Giorgio Moroder-styled bridge. From here 'til the album's final stretch, twists, turns, and time changes are in abundance and imagination runs wild as Brit-pop smokes a hookah and sits on a multicolored toadstool. Lost in all this is the instantly grabbing songwriting of Kasabian's debut, and to some extent, the bandmembers themselves, who often seem to be riding this swirl instead of guiding it. They regain control right about "By My Side," a memorable, lush tune that suggests what it would sound like if James Bond film themes had proper B-sides. The winding "Stuntman" is as ambitious as anything else here but the pieces all fall into place for a change, and by the time the perfect, slowly developing closer "The Doberman" rolls around, this unapproachable effort has sort of explained itself and even seduced a little. Repeat listens help put things in place, and a familiarity with the band helps a lot, so go to their much more focused debut for the real punch, then come here when you want something bigger but not necessarily better.
(amg 6/10)

Kevin Rowland [1999] My Beauty

[01] The Greatest Love Of All
[02] Rag Doll
[03] Concrete And Clay
[04] Daydream Believer
[05] This Guy's In Love With You
[06] The Long And Winding Road
[07] It's Getting Better
[08] I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top
[09] Labelled With Love (I'll Stay With My Dreams)
[10] Reflections Of My Life
[11] You'll Never Walk Alone



amg: Kevin Rowland released his first solo album in 1988 (the wonderful The Wanderer), and it took 11 years for him to release his sophomore solo effort. The years between albums were not kind to Rowland. He battled drug addiction, went bankrupt, and disappeared from the public view. For My Beauty, Rowland decided to make a big return, both in presentation (the front sleeve must be seen to be believed) and music (very big production). The result? A CD of cover versions. My Beauty is a difficult album to review, because although it is not very good, no one can doubt Rowland's sincerity. He loves these songs, and it is clear that each and every one means a great deal to him. However, that does not guarantee a great listening experience. He still has an amazing voice, and does credible versions of "Rag Doll" and "Concrete and Clay," but things get a bit dicey when he alters the lyrics to "The Long and Winding Road." The result is laughable. His versions of "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "This Guy's in Love with You" are embarrassing, mainly because of overblown production and the fact that the songs seem out of his range. However, his introduction to "The Greatest Love of All" (which kicks off the album) is a brilliant use of voice and textures, and is the clear highlight of the CD. If only the rest lived up to the opening 30 seconds. Although he has a top-notch band full of great players (including Neil Hubbard), the songs are bland and don't serve any purpose. His versions are unique, perhaps, but not interesting. Overall, this is a depressing affair. With Dexy's Midnight Runners, Rowland wrote some of the finest pop songs in history ("Geno" and "Tell Me When My Light Turns Green" come immediately to mind), but this album does not live up to any of his previous glories. A CD of original material might have been an improvement. As for the cover art...Kevin Rowland does not look good in drag.
(amg 4/10)

Luscious Jackson [1996] Fever In Fever Out

[01] Naked Eye
[02] Don't Look Back
[03] Door
[04] Mood Swing
[05] Under Your Skin
[06] Electric
[07] Take A Ride
[08] Water Your Garden
[09] Soothe Yourself
[10] Why Do I Lie
[11] One Thing
[12] Parade
[13] Faith
[14] Stardust



amg: For all of its sunny eclecticism, Natural Ingredients lacked the darkly funky urban soundscapes that made In Search of Manny so engaging. Fever in Fever Out brings that dark funkiness while keeping the pop hooks that made Natural Ingredients a step forward. Producer Daniel Lanois keeps his ambient tendencies to a minimum, providing just enough atmosphere to make songs as catchy as the jazzy, intricate "Naked Eye" surprisingly haunting. But what really impresses is the sense of forward motion Luscious Jackson displays on Fever in Fever Out, how their eclecticism is becoming more seamless as their songs grow stronger.
(amg 8/10)

Lemonheads [1992] It's A Shame About Ray

[01] Rockin Stroll
[02] Confetti
[03] Its A Shame About Ray
[04] Rudderless
[05] Buddy
[06] The Turnpike Down
[07] Bit Part
[08] Allison's Starting To Happen
[09] Hannah & Gabi
[10] Kitchen
[11] Ceiling Fan In My Spoon
[12] Frank Mills
[13] Mrs. Robinson



amg: If Lovey captured Evan Dando as he found his signature blend of punk-pop, jangle pop, and folk-rock, It's a Shame About Ray is where he perfected that style. Breezing by in under half an hour, the album is a simple collection of sunny melodies and hooks, delivered with typical nonchalance by Dando. None of the songs are about anything major, nor do they have astonishingly original melodies, but that's part of their charm — they're immediately accessible and thoroughly catchy. Dando's laid-back observations of middle-class outcasts are minor gems. The heartbroken title track or "Confetti," the crushes of "Bit Part in Your Life," the love letter to substances "My Drug Buddy," or the wonderful "Alison's Starting to Happen," where a girl finds herself as she discovers punk rock, capture the laconic rhythms of suburbia, and his warm, friendly voice, which is offset by Juliana Hatfield's girlish harmonies, gives the songs an emotional resonance. [It's a Shame About Ray was later re-released with a competent punk-pop remake of Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" added as a bonus track. As Dando approached stardom, the album was repressed again with the title of "My Drug Buddy" truncated to "Buddy." It was later restored to its original title.]
(amg 9/10)