Kasabian

For Crying Out Loud COLUMBIA. CD/DL/LP

The jesters from Leicester grow up, a little.

Rarely tolerated on the critical high ground, these rave/rock/rap turbo-nutters first lurched into earshot circa Õ97, and, on an unflagging popular mandate, have dominated the twin-centred vacuum left by Britpop and big beat for the ensuing two decades. After lairy, aspirationfree beginnings in the vein of Skint Records duffers Lo-Fidelity Allstars, Kasabian have acquired musicianly finesse down the years, and this sixth album should ensure their ongoing indestructibility, with less niche cartoon-rave aboard, more classic-rock and baggy/disco. In the latter vein, YouÕre In Love With A Psycho will doubtless imminently resound on this nationÕs high streets via legless choruses at closing time. Bless This Acid House, conversely, sounds like Slade. Painful slowie Wasted possibly refers to talismanic singer Tom MeighanÕs recent relationship break-up and existential meltdown, but it soon gives way to Come Back Kid Ð vintage Kasabian invincibility on a jump-up Boxerbeat rhythm. Another big album, for crying out loud.