Kasabian - In Love With A Psycho

1. Who are Kasabian? 

Kasabian are an indie rock/dance band from Leicester, England, making music since 1997. The band are commercially successful with their last four albums making it to number one in the U.K. album charts. In Love With A Psycho (March’17) is the first single from their sixth album For Crying Out Loud (April’17). 


2. What have they got? 

In Love With A Psycho is radio-friendly meh that grows on you insidiously. A hummable chorus that becomes a bit of an earworm. Playlist filler.


3. Who do Kasabian sound like?

They are often compared to Primal Scream, The Stone Roses, and The Happy Mondays.

4. What have people said about In Love With A Psycho?  

“A sweet and hypnotic single” – 411 Mania.

“A naggingly catchy perfect pop tune” – Louder Than War.

“Amiable and still enjoyable” – The Edge.

5. Which bands have inspired Kasabian? 

Key influences on this album are Public Enemy, Bruce Springsteen and The Stooges. Elsewhere they have mentioned Oasis and Led Zeppelin as big influences.

6. Why should I listen to In Love With A Psycho? 

Because it's a good 'un. Because it's a gateway to better Kasabian songs.

7. What are Kasabian's best songs?

Comeback Kid, an album track from the new album, is a sublime retro-sixties banger. Bumblebee has swagger and a taint breaking chorus. From there it's "hey diddle diddle and straight down the middle" with two of their breakthrough hits from their debut album; Club Foot and Eez-Eh. 

8. Any more words?

Kasabian guitarist, Serge Pizzorno, wrote and produced For Crying Out Loud. 

Time To Change, a mental health organization in England, weren’t thrilled with Kasabian’s choice of lyrics saying they had used a “sad and tired” stereotype.

“Jibber, jabber, at the bargain booze,

And reciting Charles Bukowski, I got nothing to lose”

Shortstraw are a popular indie rock band from Johannesburg, South Africa. They have been making music since 2007 and have made three albums. Shortstraw sound like Good Charlotte, New Politics and Al Bairre. They are influenced by Foals, Paul Simon and Taking Back Sunday. Keep It In The Family (Nov'16) is the third single from the mini-album Those Meddling Kids (March'17). Keep It In The Family is mosh-pit filling, pop punk, with a stone to throw at absent fathers.

“Go tell your father in Santiago,
I got his daughter tied to my tree”

The Charlatans - Plastic Machinery

1. Who are The Charlatans? 

The Charlatans are an indie rock band from Northwich, England. They started in 1988 and were part of the Madchester scene of the late eighties and early nineties. Plastic Machinery is the first single from their thirteenth album Different Days (May'17). 

2. What kind of tune is Plastic Machinery? 

The guitar riffs keep Plastic Machinery grounded as the vocals float in the ether. A perfect throw back to a distant era. 

3. Who do The Charlatan's sound like? 

The Charlatans sound like The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays, and The Courteeners. 

4. What have the press said about Plastic Machinery? 

“Crunching, soulful” – Clash. 

“The much loved outfit continue in their rich vein of form” – Tenement TV.

“Sounding as fresh as day one” – YouTube Comments.

5. Which bands influenced The Charlatans? 

The Charlatans main influences are Bob Dylan, The Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses, The Rolling Stones, and Joy Division. 

6. Why should I listen to Plastic Machinery? 

Because you like to pay your respects to English rock'n'roll royalty. Because the lads sound fresh as a daisy. 

7. What are the best Charlatan's songs? 

The Only One I Know is the classic, Stones Rosey, tune from their debut album. Come Home Baby has a joyous singalong chorus and is the stand out track from their last album. One To Another is a Happy Mondays-esque tune from the 1997 album Tellin' Stories. 

8. Any more words?

Johnny Marr (The Smiths, The The, The Cribs) and  Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre) played guitar on Plastic Machinery. Pete Salisbury (The Verve) is on drums. 

Different Days is co-produced by Jim Spencer (Oasis, The Cribs, The Vaccines). 

Davey Dynamite is a punk/folk musician from Chicago, Illinois, playing since 2010. Old school punks love his latest album Holy Shit (2016). Davey Dynamite is similar to Against Me! and Frank Turner. He is influenced by Neil Young, Frank Turner and The Clash. Friends Not Fans (2012) is a heartfelt tribute to the punk scene and a stinging rebuke to bands who treat fans as consumers (and a catchy-as-chlamydia punk tune).

“Let’s make one thing fucking clear,

I wouldn’t be here if you weren’t here”