Kasabian - 'Empire'

Despite their own lofty claims, Kasabian's second album is not the best guitar album of our times. Far from it, in fact.

Album Review by Nick Mitchell | 13 Sep 2006
Album title: 'Empire'
Artist: Kasabian
Label: Columbia
It's been two years since Kasabian burst forth with an album of synth-rock that combined ballsy northern anthems with irresistible beats – a feat which sent them spiralling up the charts, secured high slots on festival billings, and, most impressively, raised Noel Gallagher's mono-brow from its usual scowl. But during the recording of 'Empire', Kasabian sacked guitarist/keyboardist Chris Karloff, and the finished product shows the inevitable symptoms of the fabled difficult second album. Things start promisingly with the title track's eerie tripleted hook and the T-Rexian anthem-in-waiting Shoot the Runner, but it wanes midway, via pale Primal Scream-circa-'XTRMNTR' imitation Apnoea and the lacklustre By My Side. Despite a strong-ish finale in The Doberman, 'Empire' is just too busy, too directionless, as if the Leicester lads are trying to tick too many boxes in their quest to outdo Uncle Gallagher in the 'great British guitar band' stakes. [Nick Mitchell]
Empire' is out on August 28. http://www.kasabian.co.uk/home/