are Kasabian having an awesome autumn?

Kasabian have just dropped a brand new release ‘ALYGATYR’, amidst a tour in which guitarist and songwriter, Serge Pizzorno has taken over as the band’s frontman. How’s that working out for them?

2021 - A surge of Serge appreciation

Picture report from Nottingham

by John Springett of Spring Image Photography www.springimages.co.uk

As if 2020 wasn't traumatic enough, Leicester's indie icons had left a question mark hanging over their future when pre-pandemic front man, Tom Meighan, left under a dark cloud of consequences.

The band carrying on, after that was a decision that split opinion in the music world and their fan base.

Autumn 2021’s return was always going to be a make or break moment.

As these UK tour dates were sold out in advance, on the strength of their songs and past achievements, half the battle was won.

The real proof (and future) would be in the audience reaction to the new Kasabian’s live performance.

Yes, a huge band who obviously have so many fans, are already ahead of the game but music is a funny old business and nothing can be taken for granted.

Although Serge had previously proved capable of going “solo” when the band took some time out, that this would translate to the very real skill of fronting a rock band.

Additionally, Kasabian needed to live up to the “saving guitar music” claims and “where are the new rock n roll bands?” challenges that some of the biggest artists were making - and being reported on (mostly for clickbait) - over the last couple of years in what’s left of the national music press.

In short, there was a lot to live up to.

With all the above, and more, it wasn’t a given that Kasabian would walk back on stage and be greeted, again, with the affection and respect that audiences reserve for a favourite band.

Also, it’s 2021.

After a year and a half lost of humanity’s collective life lost to the upheaval and tragedy of the pandemic - including the shenanigans required to attend a live music show safely - music fans want actual bangs for their bucks.

20th October, Nottingham.

Kasabian are back on home county (East Midlands) turf for the Rock City show

Relief.

By all accounts (mates, live reviews, social media feedback) so far, word is that the gig not only went with a bang, but that Serge is such a stage-craft honed, genuine front man, that the crowd were chanting his name during their set.

Shout-along-with-joy mosh pits mirrored the musicality of the band and adrenaline rush in the air.

It's true to say that Kasabian fans are more than on side.

Up and down the country, fans of this band are witnessing something special rising like a phoenix.

These reactions had been hard earned, not taken for granted. Some “Team Tom Meighan” fans refused to come to these dates.

Maybe they missed something essential?

The thanks from the stage to this evening’s audience acknowledged the amount of appreciation felt for their support.

Maybe the uncertainty before facing their audience added to the flame of their performance but the Kasabian of this post lockdown world are obviously a new favourite band (with a six album back story!) who are literally on, ahem, 'Fire'.

As the band tweeted the day after the show:

“Nottingham, still trying to get our heads around last night, WOW!!!!!! Absolute scenes”.

Fast forward a week.

Alongside it’s first live performance (at the home town show in Leicester on day of release, October 27th) the new single, ‘ALYGATYR’ is #1 on Spotify’s Transistor playlist. https://kasabian.lnk.to/transistor

2021

Q: Are Kasabian having an awesome autumn?

A: Yup, looks like it.

…and to answer those “where are the guitar bands” questions, Kasabian have done the right thing at the right time by taking The Skinner Brothers on the road as special guests.

TheZineUK is a documentary of music movement threads weaving a tapestry.

Our ace, Louise Schofield, recently interviewed Zach of The Skinner Brothers before their Isle Of Wight Festival show for This Feeling.

As @TheSkinnerBros tweeted (rightly) in September:

“We will be joining @KasabianHQ as main support for their entire UK tour! This is massive”

Really is. A month later they are tweeting:

“Shoutout all the new followers coming in from the @KasabianHQ tour”

On tour in Liverpool. Not gonna lie, tho, Katie Owen’s #StageStyle often give me boot envy. It’s a real thing.

Not only that, the true story of Katie Owen (a Kasabian fan from school!) being the tour DJ is what rock n roll dreams are made of.

Katie came into the cast n crew of our situationist story in 2017, again, courtesy of This Feeling and being a fab DJ!)

Making a party, Katie also DJ’d TheZineUK’s first #MusicPeopleParty that December (and presented her first filmed interview in January 2018, for us).

It’s just heart warming to see so many people coming along in these hard-as-f days.

Of course, there are people who doubt that the newer wave of guitar music artists and allies are creating a #FertileEnvironment in a hostile environment - and each to their own opinion - but look and listen again, friends. Especially on the grass roots music venue circuit being culled.

When bands like Kasabian use their platform to give the up and comers on this rising star circuit, extra support, the musical eco system of alternative rock gets a boost just when we all need it. Even the biggest bands started somewhere and got some help.

2022

Kasabian are playing the Neighbourhood Weekender in May, supporting Liam Gallagher at Knebworth Park in June (with Michael Kiwanuka, Fat White Family and Goat Girl) then headlining the Isle Of Wight Festival next autumn.

Come back and beyond.

Seeya later ALYGATYR!

https://www.kasabian.co.uk/

All images by kind permission John Springett (c) https://www.springimages.co.uk/

Extra news/words Caffy St Luce/Events Dept.

Thank you Stasi at MBC PR for the photo pass.

HOT NEW TUNES - Vol: 10

#HotNewTunes by Music Industry insider,
Kelly Munro (End Of The Trail Creative).
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The Color Forty Nine - Another World

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Bridget Rian - Trailer Park Cemetery (ambient goth country version)

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LOW ISLAND 'If You Could Have It All Again'

Album review by Alan Neilson

What is interesting about my feelings towards Low Island, is that for each of their earlier single releases I was asked to review the songs, but never felt enough love for them until now, when I listened to the album in full.

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And then it was ‘Hey Man’ the opening song on ‘If You Could Have It All Again’ that opened the door for me; it’s strange how indifference can turn to love by seeing something from a slightly different angle.

I think my initial reticence came from the band’s image and a feeling that this is just another group of young, white men from Oxford, who are not too dissimilar to that other band of white men from Oxford; with their falsettos, angular synths and raw, but tasteful guitars.

There is a whole, wider argument about representation in the music business, which I won’t go into here, but suffice to say my heart dies a little everyday when I keep getting asked to review another all male, all white band. Thankfully Low Island are doing something that is interesting enough that my prejudices have been put to one side.

I can’t think of another album where the first track is so different from the songs that follow. Thankfully that track ‘Hey man’ is of such originality and quality, it drew me into the music of Low Island, and although the songs that come after may not have been enough on their own to make me love their debut album at first, I listened to it through the experience of that opening track. It really is mesmerising, containing as it does a repeating note like Laurie Anderson’s ‘O Superman’ and frantic drums like late period Radiohead.

‘Hey man’ starts out sounding like Aqualung until the jagged drum rolls and single percussive hits crack open the sensitive shell of the song and reveal real gold. But just when you think it is going to start in an Elbow driving rhythmic style, the song ends and the temporary silence is followed by the pumping ‘What Do You Stand For’, which could not be more different, sounding as it does like a club track meeting Art Brut head on, with its markedly different vocal spoken/sung style against a pumping backbeat. Wickedly sharp lyrics and truly danceable beats show immediately the band are not a one trick pony.

‘Don’t Let the Light’ follows and again is like neither of the previous tracks, it has a foot in clubland, but a softer vocal and trance like vibe pulls it into a pop arena. The album‘s lack of a defining genre makes it almost lack a cohesiveness, but at the same time keeps the listener’s attention, even if it is just based on a feeling of what the hell are they gonna do next… and that next thing is a reprise of the previous track in ballad form; a prize for anyone who guessed that.

‘In Your Arms’ follows and features a stunning chord progression against another trance like groove, but this time with stunning ethereal backing vocals, complimenting the lead voice. The danceable rhythms and spiky synths continue through the next tracks, but there is a real humanity to the songs. The performances and production is practically perfect so you would be forgiven for believing this is all the work of robots, auto-tune and computer chips, but there is a beautiful soul to this music that reminds me of the stunning Broken Bells’ second album. Humans and machines can work together and Low Island balance the organic with the electronic exquisitely.

The album reminds me of when clubs had separate rooms for different music genres (do they still do that?). Each song has a different vibe to it and even on ‘Momentary’, which feels like the chill out room as the tempo drops and the voice softens, but then you hear drums coming through the wall, calling you back into the club. And then you are back in the dark sticky room, ‘Spaces Closing In’ eases you back in with its mid-paced tempo and rockier sound.

The final track ‘What the Hell (Are You Gonna Do Now?)’ again is in a different room, more withdrawn and indie and the spoken section at the end could almost be a conversation in the toilet before you walk home alone at the end of night, even down to the way the sentence is cut off before it finishes. The song does kind of close the album in an understated way rather than a blast of energy, but that is part of the album’s charm, providing unexpected turns and endings, jumping between genres, one moment gentle, the next forceful and brash.

Of course genre hopping is a double edged sword, particularly within the same album. I happen to love a contrast of styles by the same artist, but there are others who like a certain sound and want a band to be something tangible and remain constant, at least for eleven songs.

I understand Low Island are self-releasing ‘If You Could Have It All Again’ and that kind of tells a story of how a record label could not pigeonhole the band for the marketplace (or of course the band refused to be pigeonholed). But I do wonder if Low Island know who their target audience is: indie kids, club heads, or an older audience who recognise the artistry and references in the songs? This album could appeal to that whole cross section, but equally could end up alienating them all as well. I mean, what is Low Island?

The band asks the question in a roundabout way in their song, ‘What Do You Stand For’ and as John Mellencamp said, in the music industry as in life, “You’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.” In some ways Low Island are standing for something simply by being themselves, with all their contradictions, mistakes and conflicts, but still there is a slight loss in clarity in the signals they give out… in today’s music industry the package is more important than the contents, especially without a major label’s marketing budget. I only hope Low Island will reach glorious heights.

Released April 2021, the album is available now via the band’s own Emotional Interference imprint, through their official outlet:

1.Hey man
2. What Do You Stand For
3. Don't Let The Light In
4. Don't Let The Light In (Reprise)
5. In Your Arms
6. Who's Having The Greatest Time?
7. Feel Young Again
8. I Do It For You
9. Momentary
10. Spaces Closing In
11. What The Hell (are you gonna do now?)

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