West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
by Kasabian
  • Record Label: Red Ink
  • Release Date: Jun 9, 2009
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 90 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 78 out of 90
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 90
  3. Negative: 4 out of 90

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  1. JackieK
    Oct 19, 2009
    10
    This album is amazing.
  2. TwelveV
    Jul 7, 2009
    9
    Grows on you after a few plays.
  3. MeM
    Jul 7, 2009
    10
    Great album, Kasabian are really coming of age. Definately thier best album.
  4. dexterP
    Jun 13, 2009
    9
    Absolutely beautiful album from Kasabian, every track just fits together perfectly and makes a nice change to a lot of repetetive stuff coming out at the moment, album of the year until Muse's 5th LP comes out.
  5. RussellB
    Jun 9, 2009
    9
    Brilliant album this. A must buy.
  6. markl
    Jul 10, 2009
    8
    Its a really good CD, very catchy.
  7. PD
    Jul 21, 2009
    10
    For me this album is, together with Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown", album of the year.
  8. M
    Jul 28, 2009
    10
    I dare to said, best album of the year.
  9. TrevorM
    Jul 30, 2009
    9
    This record left me totally floored. Where I once thought Kasabian to be mere flash in the pan, this album establishes them as a major force in British Indy Rock. This easily my favorite album this summer...maybe even this year.
  10. isaacA
    Jun 11, 2009
    10
    Absolutely magnificent, stripping away all of the unnecessary guff of Empire away and honing the band back to their all important killer groove.
  11. MateoG
    Jun 9, 2009
    8
    A great album... a departure from their roots, although they're still using synths and some groovie beats...but this album is got a lot more psychedelic-sound than previous efforts...Excellent, for the exception of the track featuring actress Rosario Dawson, which doesn't work for me.
  12. DustinW
    Jul 21, 2009
    8
    A quality album with some memorable tracks. Not everything I was hoping for when I heard that they were working on a new record, but it still sounds very well done.
  13. GeorgeR
    Sep 13, 2009
    10
    This is easily the best album of the year so far. There are no filler songs of any kind and the riffs here will keep you humming for ages...
  14. RH
    Jun 11, 2009
    10
    Most critics are brainless nobodies who are paid to write shit, but good music can never be held down by papers. Brilliant album.
  15. NickA
    Jun 26, 2009
    9
    Kasabian have gone mental on this album - and it's worked brilliantly.
  16. Pedro
    Jul 29, 2009
    10
    Shit hot album. his will be seen as a classic in years to come - a 21st century Exile on Main Street.
  17. Ricko
    Feb 8, 2012
    7
    "Fire" is the best track this band have ever put down and has to be classed as an anthem now. Outside of that there are some good tracks but a lot of it drifts along a bit aimlessly. You really need to give it a good few listens and I'm not sure if it's really worth putting the time into it.
  18. SilverMeddle
    Jan 10, 2012
    10
    This was the 1st Kasabian album that I have listened to in full, and the more you listen it the better it sounds, Where did all the lover go, Fast Fuse, Fire all great indie classics,
  19. MKCyrax
    Jan 14, 2012
    10
    totally amazing, they become more sophisticated at lyrics and music, althought a little too mainstream for the band
  20. JuanEngel_
    Apr 17, 2018
    10
    Even knowing the complete discography you can say that West Ryder is the best album of Kasabian. It's perfect by the riff of Underdog to the ending of Happiness. A masterpiece of the band.
  21. PlugInBaby
    Feb 3, 2020
    8
    Great album, contains my favourite Kasabian song 'Where Did All The Love Go' and has some great deep cuts, namely Fast Fuse and Secret Alphabets

Awards & Rankings

54
#54 Most Discussed Album of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 15
  3. Negative: 1 out of 15
  1. AllMusic
    60
    The result is an interesting, unexpected piece of work, devoid of a militantly commercial single like Empire's self-titled track, and lacking the shaggy Madchester vibes that Christopher Karloff brought to 2004's Kasabian.
    Read full review
  2. Drowned In Sound
    50
    One suspects the end product here may have had more to do with the record's producer than its creators, and as a result, this album is as unconvincing as the band's hollow assurances that they're open to embracing new horizons.
    Read full review
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    Sounding more like Animal Collective than The La’s, in these times when one wrong move is seeing bands of Kasabian’s stature sink like stones, it seemed a brave comeback.
    Read full review
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