5/10
Three
years after their last album release, Kasabian are back with the highly
anticipated fifth studio album "48:13". However, it is not what
Kasabian and general music fans alike will have come to expect from the
Leicester-born five piece. Music magazine NME said that "The Leicester
lads' latest outing is a confused, tentative and occasionally brilliant bout of
boundary-pushing". I just fail to hear it.
Interviewed
back in April 2014, Serge and Tom said that they had purposely "made an album
of slightly above-average length" and what followed was album artwork
consisting of 13 time codes. By doing this, we as listeners can already tell
that there are thirteen songs on the record, three of them very short and
therefore probably instrumentals. Is this Kasabian trying to be too clever or
is it a clumsily made point that their music speaks for itself?
So, to
the actual music contained within the bright pink and black album sleeve.
It starts with one of the three musical interludes - "Shiva". It
seems a tad strange to begin the record in this manner but these instrumentals
end up being significant in the formation and flow of "48:13".
"Shiva" is filled with psychedelic, kaleidoscopic noises
that inevitably crescendo into the first 'proper' track of the album,
"Bumblebee". This is a song that is typical of what we have come to
expect of Kasabian. It's a toe- tapper if ever there was one.
Together with the two chord buzz-rock rhythm section and lyrical hooks such as
"when we're together, I'm in ecstasy", so perfectly delivered by
Tom Meighten, it couldn't be a better start to the album. The level is
maintained with the following track "Stevie".
However,
this is where the potential to become one of the best albums released in
2014 disappears. The remaining two interludes act as bookends to the next part
of the album. The powerful, edgy yet familiar start is quickly overtaken by an
experimental middle section. Songs that last around the three minute mark and have
that feel-good, festival sound associated with the Leicester band are replaced
with morbid, 6+ minute drivel (for want of a better word). It has to be
acknowledged that when bands push themselves out of their comfort zone it can
sometimes lead to a great album. Yet I feel like this is not the case with
"48:13". The experimental middle section is lost and seems to go on
forever. "Glass" epitomises this part of the album. It's
half-arsed, limp and features a lacklustre rap from 23 year old street poet
Suli Breaks. The skip button has never been so appealing.
There are
positives though. The album is almost saved by the first single from the album
"Eez-eh", a catchy track that embraces all that's good about
Kasabian; arrogance, power, humour, and the ability to write a catchy tune.
It's easily the best song on album.
Maybe
Serge Pizzorno (who writes most of the music) is riding
the successful wave that is Kasabian, relying on music magazine
arse-lickers like NME to continue to overrate anything they release. They could
produce an album of total silence for 48 minutes and NME would still describe
it as genius with 'bouts of brilliance'. Despite some positive moments on "48:13", the overall feeling is that they have tried too much and got
lost along the way. Kasabian have talked the talk, but the walk has turned into
a leisurely stroll.
