Kasabian: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (Sony)

By Ben Liew  •  in Music
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Kasabian guitarist Sergio Pizzorno has described this 52-minute long player as “the soundtrack to an imaginary movie”. If those words are anything to go by, then West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is Quentin Tarantino meets Guy Ritchie in one of those badass gangsta flicks.

Mystically dark and infectiously groovy, this 3rd album by the Brit alt rock band will definitely score some major brownie points with the hipster indie dance crowd. For the rest of us, this concept album named after a 19th century mental institute brings back all the best elements of Madchester (despite the band claiming that’s lazy journalism), mixing it up with slick production courtesy of Gorillaz’s production supremo Dan The Automator. Capitalising on big beats and psychedelic vibes, West Ryder is Kasabian at their pub-brawling best. From the rocking opener ‘Underdog’ to the spaghetti western/Bollywood ‘West Ryder / Silver Bullet’ – where singer Tom Meighan duets with actress Rosario Dawson – this album will renew your faith in cocky Brit rock. And if you’re still not convinced, consider this: even Noel Gallagher gave the lads two thumbs up!

Kasabian’s West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is out now on Sony Music. Read all about how Kasabian put the album together here.