Kula Shaker - K (Columbia) They are being touted as the next big thing to come from Britain, and on the strength of Kula Shaker's first album this is not mere hype - the chart-topping K is not the kind of debut to come along every day.
A headrush hybrid of 1960s psychedelia (strongly drawing on the Doors and early Pink Floyd) and 1990s backwards glancing rock a la Charlatans and the Verve, K is at times full-blooded aural assault (such as latest single Hey Dude ), at others delicate transcendental trip.
Vocalist Crispian Mills (grandson of Sir John Mills and son of actress Hayley) has a primal edge to his voice that most of today's bloodless Britpop brats could not even fake, plus he is not afraid to put some feeling into his delivery or lose his cool (Liam, take note).
And this album has real, thrilling charisma - a curious meeting of Eastern mysticism (complete with Indian instruments straight out of '67) and English folk mythology.
The multi-layered and reverb-laden sound, with swirling Hammond organ, and quasi-Medieval imagery of songs like Knight on the Town evoke the legends of King Arthur with which the band is fascinated.
But while Grateful When You're Dead could have come from the Woodstock soundtrack, Kula Shaker are anxious not to be seen as some throwback to '60s hippiedom. Nevertheless, they are candid about some far-out beliefs in imminent worldwide 'cataclysmic change' and 'universal elevated consciousness'.
