# Velociraptor!

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***Velociraptor!*** is the fourth studio album by English [rock](/source/Rock_music)[1] band [Kasabian](/source/Kasabian), released on 16 September 2011. The album has been described as expanding upon the [neo-psychedelic](/source/Neo-psychedelic) feel of their previous album *[West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum](/source/West_Ryder_Pauper_Lunatic_Asylum)* with a stronger emphasis on experimental song structures and instrumentation. It was released to critical acclaim and became their third UK number-one album.

## Release and promotion

"Switchblade Smiles" was made available as a free download to anybody who pre-ordered the album from the band's official website store from 7 June 2011. The track is also available as a free download on the band's fanpage on [Facebook](/source/Facebook).

The album cover is an edited picture of all four band members covered in feathers (as Velociraptors were traditionally feathery) and screaming, edited from the "Switchblade Smiles" music video.[2] Music videos for "Days Are Forgotten", "Re-Wired", "Goodbye Kiss", "Man of Simple Pleasures" and "Neon Noon" were also produced and released through the band's [Vevo](/source/Vevo) page on [YouTube](/source/YouTube).

## Composition

The album has been noted for its blend of styles, combining [Middle Eastern](/source/Middle_Eastern_music) influences, rock and electronica,[3] with *[Slant Magazine](/source/Slant_Magazine)* claiming the album is a "departure from the loutish club-rock with which Kasabian first made their name."[4]

### Tracks

The album opens with "Let's Roll Just Like We Used To", which begins with a gong, and features a Mexican trumpet riff, a 'funky, spy-movie bassline', and elements of [mod](/source/Mod_(subculture)).[5] The second track and lead single "[Days Are Forgotten](/source/Days_Are_Forgotten)" is a blues rock-leaning song boasting a 'filthy riff' alongside a 'trademark vowel-murdering, stadium-shaking chorus'[6] and has also drawn comparisons to [Led Zeppelin](/source/Led_Zeppelin)'s "[Immigrant Song](/source/Immigrant_Song)".[7] Described as a 'sublime ballad',[8] "Goodbye Kiss" is atypical of the band's familiar style, and was covered by American singer [Lana Del Rey](/source/Lana_Del_Rey) for [BBC Radio One's Live Lounge](/source/Live_Lounge).[6] "La Fee Verte" is named after the historical nickname for [absinthe](/source/Absinthe) that translates into 'the green fairy' and was originally written and sung by Sergio Pizzorno for the soundtrack to *[London Boulevard](/source/London_Boulevard)*. The song has drawn heavy comparisons to the Beatles[9][3] and was described by Pizzorno as 'retro, but still sounds modern'.[10] The title track has been labelled as an 'energetic rave-up'[7] with 'grimy guitars, absurd lyrics and an air-punching chorus.'[6]

"Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter From the Storm)" has been regarded as the biggest showcase of the album's Middle Eastern influences, featuring a 'wordless intro chant to the cutting strings and the brutal [Bonham](/source/John_Bonham) drumbeat'.[3] The song was used in the end credits to the movie [*Killer Elite*](/source/Killer_Elite_(film)).[11] "I Hear Voices" has been branded as 'Kraftwerk-inspired' electronica and has drawn comparisons to the 1982 sci-fi film Tron.[3] The second single "[Re-Wired](/source/Re-Wired_(song))" is an electronic rock and disco-inspired song[12] and has been linked to [the White Stripes](/source/The_White_Stripes).[5] Fourth single "[Man of Simple Pleasures](/source/Man_of_Simple_Pleasures)" was described by Pizzorno as a '[country song](/source/Country_music) played by zombies'[13] and has been likened to [Oasis](/source/Oasis_(band)) as well as the track "Thick as Thieves" from the band's previous album *[West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum](/source/West_Ryder_Pauper_Lunatic_Asylum).*[9][12] The pre-released free download track "Switchblade Smiles" has been regarded as a bridge between rock and electronica, featuring 'grungy guitar riffs threatening to smash the dance floor to bits.'[3] The song was featured on the soundtrack for *[FIFA 12](/source/FIFA_12)*. The closing track "Neon Noon" is a 'reverb-drenched slow-burner' combining acoustic guitars, strings and electronic elements.[6]

## Critical reception

*Velociraptor!* received a strong critical reception and is often considered by fans and critics to be one of the band's strongest albums. On [Metacritic](/source/Metacritic), *Velociraptor!* has the band's highest rating with a score of 79 out of 100 based on 23 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[14] Their previous best album score was 68, held by *[West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum](/source/West_Ryder_Pauper_Lunatic_Asylum)* (2009).[15]

*[NME](/source/NME)* reviewed the album positively, praising its ridiculousness and despite concluding that it falls short to its predecessor, it is "an album with 'much to love about it".[9] *Antiquiet* gave it 4 1/2 stars out of 5 and declared that "Kasabian has found a way to channel everything you love about [The Rolling Stones](/source/The_Rolling_Stones), [Led Zeppelin](/source/Led_Zeppelin) and [Radiohead](/source/Radiohead) while still keeping the unique sound that sets them apart from the contemporaries like [Coldplay](/source/Coldplay), [Muse](/source/Muse_(band)) and [The Killers](/source/The_Killers)."[16]

## Commercial performance

The album debuted at number one on the [UK Albums Chart](/source/UK_Albums_Chart), selling over 90,000 copies in its first week. In 2011, *Velociraptor!* sold 279,000 copies in the UK.[17] With little support from Sony Music, the album failed to chart in the United States.

## Personnel

**Kasabian**

- [Tom Meighan](/source/Tom_Meighan) – [lead vocals](/source/Lead_vocals) (all tracks except 4, 6 and 11), [backing vocals](/source/Backing_vocals) (tracks 4, 6 and 11)
- [Sergio Pizzorno](/source/Sergio_Pizzorno) – lead and rhythm [guitars](/source/Guitar), backing vocals (all tracks except 4, 6 and 11), lead vocals (tracks 4, 6 and 11), co-lead vocals (track 5 and 10), [synthesizer](/source/Synthesizer), additional bass, [production](/source/Record_producer)
- [Chris Edwards](/source/Chris_Edwards_(musician)) – [bass guitar](/source/Bass_guitar)
- [Ian Matthews](/source/Ian_Matthews_(drummer)) – [drums](/source/Drum_kit)

**Additional musicians**

- [Jay Mehler](/source/Jay_Mehler) – guitar
- Sandris Skyrimš – guitar
- Tim Carter – guitar, [percussion](/source/Percussion)
- [Ben Kealey](/source/Ben_Kealey) – [keyboards](/source/Electronic_keyboard)
- Dan Ralph Martin – guitar, percussion (tracks 4 and 9)
- Gary Alesbrook – [trumpet](/source/Trumpet) (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8)
- Mat Coleman – [trombone](/source/Trombone) (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8)
- Andrew Kinsman – [saxophone](/source/Saxophone) (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8)
- [London Metropolitan Orchestra](/source/London_Metropolitan_Orchestra) – [strings](/source/String_section) (tracks 1, 4, 6 and 8)
- Jessica Dannheisser – [orchestration](/source/Orchestration)
- Andy Brown – [conducting](/source/Conducting)

**Technical personnel**

- [Dan the Automator](/source/Dan_the_Automator) – production
- Tim Carter, Joe Kearns – [engineering](/source/Engineering)
- [Stephen McLaughlin](/source/Stephen_McLaughlin) – production
- [Aitor Throup](/source/Aitor_Throup) – design and art direction
- Neil Bedford – [photography](/source/Photography)

## Charts and certifications

### Weekly charts

Chart (2011) Peak position Japanese Albums (Oricon)[18] 10

### Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position UK Albums Chart[19] 37 UK Rock Albums Chart[20] 7 Chart (2012) Position Italian Albums Chart[21] 66 UK Albums Chart[22] 98

## Release history

Region Date Format Label Australia[23] 16 September 2011 CD, CD/DVD, Digital download Sony Music Belgium[24] Ireland[25] Italy[26] United States[27] France[28] 19 September 2011 New Zealand[29] United Kingdom[30] Columbia Records Spain[31] 20 September 2011 Sony Music Japan[32] 21 September 2011

## References

1. ["Kasabian's Serge: I'm no indie boy"](http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/kasabians-serge-im-no-indie-boy-28653204.html). *BelfastTelegraph.co.uk*. September 2011.

1. ["Kasabian - Switchblade Smiles"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SQNNLe6WPA). *YouTube*. 15 July 2011.

1. ["Album Review: Kasabian - Velociraptor!"](https://consequence.net/2011/09/album-review-kasabian-velociraptor/). 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2023-09-10.

1. Jones, Huw (2011-09-25). ["Review: Kasabian, Velociraptor!"](https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/kasabian-velociraptor/). *Slant Magazine*. Retrieved 2023-09-10.

1. ["Kasabian - Velociraptor! Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/velociraptor!-mw0002169520), retrieved 2023-09-10

1. Gill, Jaime. ["BBC - Music - Review of Kasabian - Velociraptor!"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/vcm5/). *Bbc.co.uk*. Retrieved 2023-09-10.

1. ["Kasabian: Velociraptor!"](https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/kasabian/kasabian-velociraptor). *Paste Magazine*. Retrieved 2023-09-10.

1. Simpson, Dave (2011-09-15). ["Kasabian: Velociraptor! – review"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/sep/15/kasabian-velociraptor-review). *The Guardian*. [ISSN 0261-3077](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 2023-09-10.

1. NME (2011-09-14). ["Album Review: Kasabian - 'Velociraptor!'"](https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-kasabian-12311-304672). *NME*. Retrieved 2023-09-10.

1. ["Kasabian's track by track guide to Velociraptor! with Serge and Tom - Part 1"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53FSSVloCzM), retrieved 2023-09-10

1. ["Killer Elite (Motion Picture Soundtrack)"](https://open.spotify.com/album/3Z1JqT5xsBOhX4oYqrdpQL), 2011-09-26, retrieved 2022-03-15

1. Empire, Kitty (2011-09-17). ["Kasabian: Velociraptor! – review"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/sep/17/kasabian-velociraptor-review). *The Observer*. [ISSN 0029-7712](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0029-7712). Retrieved 2023-09-10.

1. ["Kasabian's track by track guide to Velociraptor! with Serge and Tom - Part 2"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4fPx0-6-p0), retrieved 2023-09-10

1. ["Velociraptor! Reviews"](https://www.metacritic.com/music/velociraptor!/kasabian). *[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic)*. Retrieved 12 December 2013.

1. ["West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum Reviews"](https://www.metacritic.com/music/west-ryder-pauper-lunatic-asylum/kasabian). *[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic)*. Retrieved 12 December 2013.

1. ["Kasabian Swing the Talons with 'Velociraptor!'"](http://www.antiquiet.com/reviews/2011/09/kasabian-velociraptor-review/). Antiquiet. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2013.

1. ["The Top 20 rock singles and albums of 2011 revealed"](http://www.theofficialcharts.com/chart-news/the-top-20-rock-singles-and-albums-of-2011-revealed/). [The Official Charts Company](/source/The_Official_Charts_Company). 17 January 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.

1. ["ヴェロキラプトル! | カサビアン | ORICON NEWS"](https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/326500/products/930828/1/). *Oricon.co.jp*. Retrieved 2025-08-29.

1. ["UK Charts Plus - End Of Year Charts: 2011"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120915084445/http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/UKChartsPlusYE2011.pdf). Archived from [the original](http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/UKChartsPlusYE2011.pdf) on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2014.

1. ["The Top 20 rock singles and albums of 2011 revealed"](http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-top-20-rock-singles-and-albums-of-2011-revealed/). *officialcharts.com*

1. ["Top 100 Album Combined - Classifica annuale (dal 2 Gennaio 2012 al 30 Dicembre 2012)"](http://www.sorrisi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Top100_album_2012.pdf) (in Italian). [Federation of the Italian Music Industry](/source/Federation_of_the_Italian_Music_Industry) / [TV Sorrisi e Canzoni](/source/TV_Sorrisi_e_Canzoni). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130126170749/http://www.sorrisi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Top100_album_2012.pdf) 26 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 December 2013.

1. [\[1\]](http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/UKChartsPlusYE2012.pdf) [dead link]

1. ["iTunes - Music - Velociraptor! by Kasabian"](https://itunes.apple.com/au/preorder/velociraptor!/id441576208). [iTunes](/source/ITunes). 16 September 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.

1. ["iTunes - Music - Velociraptor! by Kasabian"](https://itunes.apple.com/be/preorder/velociraptor!/id441576208). [iTunes](/source/ITunes). 16 September 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.

1. ["iTunes - Music - Velociraptor! by Kasabian"](https://itunes.apple.com/ie/preorder/velociraptor!/id441576208). [iTunes](/source/ITunes). 16 September 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.

1. ["iTunes - Musica - Velociraptor! di Kasabian"](https://music.apple.com/it/album/velociraptor/441512036). *iTunes*. 16 September 2011.

1. ["iTunes - Music - Velociraptor! by Kasabian"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111007055405/http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/velociraptor!/id441512036). *iTunes*. Archived from [the original](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/velociraptor!/id441512036) on 7 October 2011.

1. ["iTunes - Musique - Velociraptor! par Kasabian"](https://itunes.apple.com/fr/preorder/velociraptor!/id441576208). [iTunes](/source/ITunes). 16 September 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.

1. ["iTunes - Music - Velociraptor! by Kasabian"](https://itunes.apple.com/nz/preorder/velociraptor!/id441576208). [iTunes](/source/ITunes). 16 September 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.

1. ["iTunes - Music - Velociraptor! by Kasabian"](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/preorder/velociraptor!/id441576208). [iTunes](/source/ITunes). 16 September 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.

1. ["iTunes - Música - Velociraptor! de Kasabian"](https://itunes.apple.com/es/preorder/velociraptor!/id441576208). [iTunes](/source/ITunes). 16 September 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.

1. ["iTunes - ミュージック - Kasabian「Velociraptor!」"](https://music.apple.com/jp/album/velociraptor-bonus-track-version/532414776). *iTunes*. 16 September 2011.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Velociraptor!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velociraptor!) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velociraptor!?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.