Empire

【TOWER RECORDS 2006 年間　TOP 40 SELLERS】洋楽総合チャート34位

狂気立つケミカル・ロックと怒涛のライヴ活動で世界中に無数の賛同者を増殖させ、早くも無敵艦隊と化しているUKロックのレジスタンス、カサビアンの2ndアルバムが発売！『EMPIRE』と名づけられた本作では、前作同様ザ・ミュージックやDJシャドウとの仕事で知られるJim Abissをプロデューサーに、ミキサーはニルヴァーナ『ネヴァーマインド』やリンプ・ビズキット等を手掛けた名職人Andy Wallaceを起用し、オアシスやローゼズ、マニックス等UKのトップ・アーティストの名作を生み出したウェールズのRockfieldスタジオにて制作。精力的なツアーで培ったバンドとしての底力が見事に刻み込まれ、ヴィンテージな質感をもちながら、彼らにしか成し得ない破壊的サウンドに仕上がった、正にカサビアンの真骨頂的作品！

Practicing truth in advertising, U.K. rockers Kasabian move away from the revolutionary sleeve art that graced their debut and onto something more ornate for their elaborate follow-up album, Empire. Attacking the sophomore jinx head-on, Empire tries hard to be urgent, epic, and important, and the grand mishmash of influences -- the Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones -- is delivered with all the conviction and swagger one desires from the scruffy crew with the Oasis-sized ego. Adding to this jumble are Sweet, Slade, and Ian Brown, who are all equally responsible for the opening title cut. Glammed-up rebel music, "Empire" is a satisfying, busy rocker that gives way to the interesting rave-up "Shoot the Runner," which would be very T. Rex if it wasn't for the Euro-disco Giorgio Moroder-styled bridge. From here 'til the album's final stretch, twists, turns, and time changes are in abundance and imagination runs wild as Brit-pop smokes a hookah and sits on a multicolored toadstool. Lost in all this is the instantly grabbing songwriting of Kasabian's debut, and to some extent, the bandmembers themselves, who often seem to be riding this swirl instead of guiding it. They regain control right about "By My Side," a memorable, lush tune that suggests what it would sound like if James Bond film themes had proper B-sides. The winding "Stuntman" is as ambitious as anything else here but the pieces all fall into place for a change, and by the time the perfect, slowly developing closer "The Doberman" rolls around, this unapproachable effort has sort of explained itself and even seduced a little. Repeat listens help put things in place, and a familiarity with the band helps a lot, so go to their much more focused debut for the real punch, then come here when you want something bigger but not necessarily better. ~ David Jeffries

2004年の〈サマソニ〉ではアルバム・デビュー前にも関わらず、入場規制になるほどの観客を集めたという伝説を持つ彼ら。エラく型破りなファースト・アルバムに続く2年ぶりの新作は、不機嫌な破壊的暗黒ビートで攻めるエレクトロ・ノイズと生音の融合はそのままに、アコギやストリングス、果てはトランペットで味付けしたドラマティックな展開を披露。〈さらに我が道を開拓した!〉と高笑いする彼らの姿が目に浮かぶ出来です!
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