Kasabian magic continues with 'Jurassic' classic

By Alastair Himmer

TOKYO (Reuters) - British band Kasabian's chart-topping latest album is named for a flesh-eating dinosaur but represents a nostalgic tribute to youthful dreams, once again demonstrating the group's versatility.

Nominated for another swathe of awards after their fourth album, "Velociraptor!" shot to No. 1 on the British album charts, the pyschedelic rockers' changing sound and style evokes comparisons to British national treasures The Beatles.

"The way we keep developing and changing? Yeah, of course," vocalist Tom Meighan told Reuters before a recent gig in Tokyo, when asked if they captured the spirit of the Fab Four more authentically than other groups.

"The way (The Beatles) kept changing every time. They went pop record, psychedelic record. We haven't stuck to one sound. No one's ever actually pointed that out."

The band's latest album, which follows their award-winning 2009 smash "West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum," sees them tinkering with their sound yet again and garnered them a nomination for best British Group at the 2012 BRIT Awards, although they lost to Coldplay at Tuesday's awards.

"Velociraptor! It's shouted out," Meighan said, explaining the exclamation mark in the title, which the amateur paleontologist said they chose because "it sounded good."

"They were like big turkeys with giant teeth. But they were dangerous," he added.

Still, that is far from the overall tone of the album, which is much more layered.

"It's a very touching record. The first song 'Let's Roll Just Like We Used To' is about us growing up when we lived on a farm, going out in the fields and looking for spaceships," Meighan said.

"Serge (guitarist-songwriter Sergio Pizzorno) had written a load of songs in a short space of time and we just went into the studio and pretty much did it. It just naturally happened."

After their eponymous 2004 debut album earned rave reviews and three subsequent British chart toppers, Kasabian have yet to suffer from writer's block or cop a true panning from critics.

"Fingers crossed," said Meighan. "We just try to reinvent ourselves. I'm sure we'll do it for the next album as well. If we keep our egos intact we'll be alright."

Shades of Nirvana, on bone-shaker "Re-Wired", and even Led Zeppelin, on stadium classic "Days are Forgotten", leak through on "Velociraptor!".

"We've got a lot of different influences," said Meighan. "(Italian composer) Ennio Morricone and spaghetti westerns, dark films. Serge watches a lot of off-the-wall (stuff). I'd rather watch Star Trek."

A big hit in Japan, Kasabian's recent whirlwind trip to Asia gave them a chance to relax after a massive arena tour, culminating in a New Year's Eve mega-gig at London's O2 Arena.

"There's no pressure for us anymore. There's nothing for us to prove. We've done it," Meighan said, referring to the previous night's show. "It's been a fantastic tour. It felt like a film last night."

That doesn't mean the group is anywhere near resting on its laurels.

"I want us to go on forever. I think we'll still be around in 20 years," Meighan said. "I'd love to be like Roger Daltrey or Pete Townshend or (Mick) Jagger."

"It's all about the music. It's in our blood, it's in our veins to be in a rock band. There's nothing else we can do."

(Editing by Elaine Lies and Bob Tourtellotte)