"We're the Best Band in Britain"

Quick: Guess This Band!

A) They're lanky British rockstars with a propensity for self-glorification that would make even Richard Branson blush
B) Their sound seems almost deliberately engineered to collapse ampitheatres and make your grandmother cry
C) They've got their dealer on speed-dial
D) They're playing the Parish tonight!

Who are they?

Yes, the Spice Girls were a good guess. But that ship sailed a long time ago. We're in fact talking about Kasabian, the shamelessly egotistical English foursome who've set out to become the next Rolling Stones - and trash talk every other band along the way.

When Kasabian's debut self-titled LP came out at the beginning of this year, our friends seemed to split into two equal camps: one group raved about how their wicked drum beats and zealous synth usage created a perfect blend of rock-and-roll and electronica; the other group dismissed them as poseurs blatantly ripping off the Happy Mondays or the Stone Roses. As for Austinist? We were somewhere in the middle, and actually more bitter that everyone else in the world got the record over a month before it launched here.

Judging from their logo, which just reeks of political symbolism, Austinist likes to imagine that they must have an agenda beyond the standard fare of sex, drugs, and self-loathing. But it's next to impossible to discern this from Tom Meighan's lead vocals, as his lyrics are usually drowned out by the distortion-heavy muckety-muck going on behind him.

Serious artistic merits aside, Kasabian are quite a spectacle to behold. Their live shows are wild, intense and heaps of fun; they're filled with a carefree, unfocused and uncerebral energy that we imagine even our primate cousins would enjoy.

You can see them tonight at the Parish Room, before they embark on tour with Oasis.

Kasabian w/
Madaction & The Colour
The Parish Room
Thursday, June 16
Doors at 8