Kula Shaker - Strangefolk

It's been seven years since Kula Shaker last sent new material hurtling towards British stereos. Although they tentatively reformed in 2004, just why they've ended their recording hiatus now, we may never know. Despite Crispin Mills' pontifications that the time is right, the truth is that it couldn't be more wrong. Strangefolk is what you'd expect from Kula Shaker in 2007; pretentious, pseudo-psychedelic classic rock influenced nonsense sans the whimsical charm that made K so palatable. It's sounds almost a decade out of date. The solos drag, the dealings with the wider world fail dramatically and even as Song Of Love / Narayna recalls the capriciousness of old, it feels just a little contrived. Everything on display has been done, numerous times, in recent years and while it will probably be loved by those who enjoyed Peasants, Pigs and Astronauts, for the rest of the world, it will almost sound as though the past seven years never happened. [Neil Ferguson]