IMPERIAL.

This year will be remembered mostly as a year of disappointments for me. I mean this not just in relation to some of you assholes, but mostly to the music that came out this year. Records I have anticpated, like Cerati, Razorlight, and Dickie have been disappointments and while I liked the Primals album, it's not changing my life in the way the previous few did. I'm still shocked that the Razorlight album is as limp as The Kidd on a Thursday night.

Well, finally we get rewarded with the sophmore Kasabian album. EMPIRE is just about everything I wanted their second album to be. It takes the elements I loved about the first record (the Britrock guitars, the programming, etc) and melds them with what has been great about their live band (the live drums, the attitude, and raw energy) into something that moves them forward. This time, the influences are worn proudly, but new influences are thrown in to keep things interesting. There's a lotta glam going on here, especially on the second single, SHOOT THE RUNNER, which starts off as a T-Rex rip off and then goes into some programmed chaos that totally won me over right when I thought the song could start to bore me. What's most surprising is the catchiness of it all, I think Brandt described it best as a "adding West Coast 60's hippy pop" into the mix, especially when it comes to the vocals, which one can easily pick up on after the first listen. Tom and Serge harmonize like champs. My nephew was running around the apt singing along to this very quickly. They have some potential singles in here and finally owning a studio version of STUNTMAN is worth the import price alone.

Everything is much more straightforward here. While it lacks the depth and atmosphere of the first album, this at least is a band trying to push ahead and mostly with super results. They made an interesting decision to get a a bunch of French people to play actual string instruments as opposed to using synths all the time and it's a decision that has paid off. It seems more like a band playing and adding programming in as opposed the first album, which was very computer driven. Thankfuly, they have made that drummer, Ian Matthews, a permanent member of the band. The loss of Chris Karloff and it's effects remain to be seen for the time being as he is only credited on three songs (EMPIRE, the excellent BY MY SIDE, and STUNTMAN). Regardless, for now, these songs were written to be played and I am very excited to see them performed live.

The album's not perfect, however. It's a very short album and could have used one or two more rockers, especially in the second half. The Serge on the acoustic track BRITISH LEGION is a misstep and dives too far into the relam of cheese that the album up until that point was able to not fall into. I surely don't hate it, but compared to the awesome song that closes the album THE DOBERMAN, this seems rather unnecessary. My biggest issue with the album is the lack of a rocker towards the end, a void that could have easily been filled had they promoted the killer B-side KETANG to the album or if they recorded a studio version of live favourite 55. Again, this is a minor misstep, but not everything can be perfect. I also mention so I don't forget this later, that a song, PROGRAM 88, was pulled at the last minute, and I'm curious where that ends up (probably a B-side).

As you all know I am totally biased when it comes to this band. I collect the rarirties, the demos, the promos, etc and it's fun to be a total geek for a new band, which hasn't happened in years. (They have Japan only releases, which you know I am a sucker for, and have literally been yanked out of The HMV in Tokyo while buying different versions of the first album) I have to admit, when I heard the single, I was a bit turned off by the lack of programming and how thin it seemed. In the context of the album, it works much better (and I strongly urge you to check out the awesome Jagz Kooner remix which is on the vinyl single or on the Japan only EP). I don't know if this album will do anything for them here in the states, or for most of you who read this, but I know they will tour their asses off and we're gonna see some awesome shows very soon.They're going to Wembley with this album.

I'm ALMOST ready to say "Album Of the Year"....but I'm going to give B-Flo and his Vegas Posse a month to prove me wrong with Sam's Town.

F