I've known about Sergio Pizzorno ever since 'L.S.F.' was released, but I never really became a fan of Kasabian until after listening to West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, now they are one of my two favourite bands. So when I heard Serge was starting a solo career during the in-between album break that Kasabian is on, I won't lie, I was nervous. I'm glad to say that this debut proved me (andI've known about Sergio Pizzorno ever since 'L.S.F.' was released, but I never really became a fan of Kasabian until after listening to West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, now they are one of my two favourite bands. So when I heard Serge was starting a solo career during the in-between album break that Kasabian is on, I won't lie, I was nervous. I'm glad to say that this debut proved me (and I'm sure a lot of other people) wrong. There are gems scattered throughout this eleven-track LP. The lead single, 'Favourites', though weird (and possibly a hard pill to swallow) at first, blossoms over time and replays into a hard-hitting almost rave-like tune with a cool bassline flowing though it. Little Simz is a particular highlight with this song. 'Nobody Else' was the summer tune nobody expected, extremely reminiscent of Foster the People's best. Though only one minute long, 'Kvng Fv' is a delight to listen to, easy on the ears, this has some replay value when you want to chill the hell out. However, the placing of 'Kvng Fv' between the harder songs 'Favourites' and 'The Youngest Gary' is a bit weird to me. One thing that has almost been a constant with all six Kasabian albums (with the exception of 'U Boat' from their 2004 debut) is how beautifully crafted the closing tracks are. 'Meanwhile... in the Silent Nowhere' carries on this streak, especially during the crescendo in the second half, which almost sounds cinematic. The undisputed king of tracks though has to be '((trance))', I've listened to this song alone more than ten times now and it keeps getting better with every listen. You can't not dance or sing along to it. Much like 'Meanwhile... in the Silent Nowhere', '((trance))' really shines in the ending segment, from a calm and quiet Serge singing the bridge section, "Got me in a trance, got the whole world looking at you...", which explodes into a cornucopia of the bridge on repeat, ethereal overlays, thumping piano and percussion and a grand choir just to top it off. Magnificent, quite easily one of the best tracks Serge has ever written (or co-wrote), sitting comfortably next to the greats such as 'Club Foot', 'L.S.F.', 'Fire' and 'Goodbye Kiss'.
The remaining tracks offer enjoyment somewhat, some of which, however, feel a little jumbled. 'The Wu' comes dangerously close to being another gem in this album, but I can't help but feel that something is missing, the same can be said about 'Lockdown', which has sudden outbursts of heavy guitar, somehow though it feels like in places it doesn't blend, great song but I think I need a few more listens before solidifying my verdict. 'The Youngest Gary' is, in my opinion, the weakest of the four singles. I'm all for psychedelic, but this track suffers just like 'Lockdown', it feels messy and all over the place.
The weakest track, however, has to be 'Soldiers 00018'. I'm not really a fan of Kasabian's fifth album, 48:13 and 'Soldiers 00018' feels like a B-side from that album, unfortunately, this track will most likely be skipped when playing this LP in full.
Overall, I'm ecstatic for this album. I thought this album would flop but Serge (and not for the first time) has proved me wrong. I just wish there was a little more focus in places.
Rating: 4.27/5
Highlights: '((trance))', 'Nobody Else', 'Favourites', 'Kvng Fv' and 'Meanwhile... in the Silent Nowhere'
Lowlights: 'Soldiers 00018' and 'Meanwhile... in Genova'… Expand
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