Top Albums of 2011 – No. 4: Kasabian, ‘Velociraptor!’

2011 was the year Leicester lads Kasabian released their fourth album and became arguably the biggest rock band in the country. After West Ryder… established them as a much more inventive and cerebral band than the ‘lad-rock’ naysayers gave them credit for, the superbly titled Velociraptor! upped their populist appeal and added sweeping melodies to their arsenal of electro-rock bangers and terrace-chant choruses.

The more accessible nature of Velicoraptor! helped to finally take Kasabian into the arenas, with epic songs like ‘Man Of Simple Pleasures’ mixing with the usual heavy electro stuff like ‘Switchblade Smiles’ and ‘Re-Wired’ to make an album that was much more nuanced and diverse than their previous three.

Fittingly, Kasabian are planning to see 2011 off in style with a huge New Year’s Eve gig at the O2 Arena – which should cement them as one of the biggest and best bands around.

What our review said: “Velociraptor! is the album Kasabian fans have been crying out for – mixing the familiar in-your-face attitude while finally nailing the slower, more introspective songs.”

Key tracks: ‘Days Are Forgotten’, ‘Re-Wired’, ‘Man Of Simple Pleasures’:

Kasabian – Velociraptor full tracklisting

01. Let’s Roll Just Like We Used To

02. Days Are Forgotten

03. Goodbye Kiss

04. La Fee Verte

05. Velociraptor!

06. Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter From The Storm)

07. I Hear Voices

08. Re-Wired

09. Man Of Simple Pleasures

10. Switchblade Smiles

11. Neon Noon