Velociraptor!

Velociraptor! is the fourth studio album by English rock band Kasabian, released on 16 September 2011. The album has been described as expanding upon the neo-psychedelic feel of their previous album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum with a stronger emphasis on experimental song structures and instrumentation. It was released to critical acclaim and became their third UK number-one album.

Release and promotion
"Switchblade Smiles" was made available as a free download to anybody who pre-ordered the album from the band's official website store from 7 June 2011. The track is also available as a free download on the band's fanpage on Facebook.

The album cover is an edited picture of all four band members covered in feathers (as Velociraptors were traditionally feathery) and screaming, edited from the "Switchblade Smiles" music video. Music videos for "Days Are Forgotten", "Re-Wired", "Goodbye Kiss", "Man of Simple Pleasures" and "Neon Noon" were also produced and released through the band's Vevo page on YouTube.

Composition
The album has been noted for its blend of styles, combining Middle Eastern influences, rock and electronica, with Slant Magazine claiming the album is a "departure from the loutish club-rock with which Kasabian first made their name."

Tracks
The album opens with "Let's Roll Just Like We Used To", which begins with a gong, and features a Mexican trumpet riff, a 'funky, spy-movie bassline', and elements of mod. The second track and lead single "Days Are Forgotten" is a blues rock-leaning song boasting a 'filthy riff' alongside a 'trademark vowel-murdering, stadium-shaking chorus'  and has also drawn comparisons to Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song". Described as a 'sublime ballad', "Goodbye Kiss" is atypical of the band's familiar style, and was covered by American singer Lana Del Rey for BBC Radio One's Live Lounge. "La Fee Verte" is named after the historical nickname for absinthe that translates into 'the green fairy' and was originally written and sung by Sergio Pizzorno for the soundtrack to London Boulevard. The song has drawn heavy comparisons to the Beatles and was described by Pizzorno as 'retro, but still sounds modern'. The title track has been labelled as an 'energetic rave-up' with 'grimy guitars, absurd lyrics and an air-punching chorus.'

"Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter From the Storm)" has been regarded as the biggest showcase of the album's Middle Eastern influences, featuring a 'wordless intro chant to the cutting strings and the brutal Bonham drumbeat'. The song was used in the end credits to the movie Killer Elite. "I Hear Voices" has been branded as 'Kraftwerk-inspired' electronica and has drawn comparisons to the 1982 sci-fi film Tron. The second single "Re-Wired" is an electronic rock and disco-inspired song and has been linked to the White Stripes. Fourth single "Man of Simple Pleasures" was described by Pizzorno as a 'country song played by zombies' and has been likened to Oasis as well as the track "Thick as Thieves" from the band's previous album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. The pre-released free download track "Switchblade Smiles" has been regarded as a bridge between rock and electronica, featuring 'grungy guitar riffs threatening to smash the dance floor to bits.' The song was featured on the soundtrack for FIFA 12. The closing track "Neon Noon" is a 'reverb-drenched slow-burner' combining acoustic guitars, strings and electronic elements.

Critical reception
Velociraptor! received a strong critical reception and is often considered by fans and critics to be one of the band's strongest albums. On Metacritic, Velociraptor! has the band's highest rating with a score of 79 out of 100 based on 23 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Their previous best album score was 68, held by West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (2009).

NME reviewed the album positively, praising its ridiculousness and despite concluding that it falls short to its predecessor, it is "an album with 'much to love about it". Antiquiet gave it 4 1/2 stars out of 5 and declared that "Kasabian has found a way to channel everything you love about The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Radiohead while still keeping the unique sound that sets them apart from the contemporaries like Coldplay, Muse and The Killers."

Commercial performance
The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling over 90,000 copies in its first week. In 2011, Velociraptor! sold 279,000 copies in the UK. With little support from Sony Music, the album failed to chart in the United States.

Personnel

 * Kasabian
 * Tom Meighan – lead vocals (all tracks except 4, 6 and 11), backing vocals (tracks 4, 6 and 11)
 * Sergio Pizzorno – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals (all tracks except 4, 6 and 11), lead vocals (tracks 4, 6 and 11), co-lead vocals (track 5 and 10), synthesizer, additional bass, production
 * Chris Edwards – bass guitar
 * Ian Matthews – drums


 * Additional musicians
 * Jay Mehler – guitar
 * Sandris Skyrimš – guitar
 * Tim Carter – guitar, percussion
 * Ben Kealey – keyboards
 * Dan Ralph Martin – guitar, percussion (tracks 4 and 9)
 * Gary Alesbrook – trumpet (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8)
 * Mat Coleman – trombone (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8)
 * Andrew Kinsman – saxophone (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8)
 * London Metropolitan Orchestra – strings (tracks 1, 4, 6 and 8)
 * Jessica Dannheisser – orchestration
 * Andy Brown – conducting


 * Technical personnel
 * Dan the Automator – production
 * Tim Carter, Joe Kearns – engineering
 * Stephen McLaughlin – production
 * Aitor Throup – design and art direction
 * Neil Bedford – photography