Kula Shaker has long been known for lead singer Crispian Mills’ penchant for traditional Indian music and culture. Their music has often reflected this with its use of instruments including sitar and tamboura, producing a mixture of eastern sounds meeting western 50s and 60s rock guitar sounds. Their most famous tunes, ‘Tattva’ and ‘Govinda’, are two such examples.
Wormslayer contains no shortage of that tried and true sound of eastern psychedelia. But this time around, it appears the band have been indulging in multiple other retro styles of sound. “Lucky Number” starts things off with a small bit of relaxed vibe sitar before bursting into a solid Britpop-style romp that recalls Don’t Believe the Truth-era Oasis and other bands of that time and ilk. The tune produces the interesting effect of being upbeat and in your face, at the same time, giving off a hypnotic quality.
“Good Money” keeps the record rolling along at a proper pace while bringing sounds of early 70s American-style funk into the mix. There are also elements of late 80s “Madchester” style dance vibes that would make Happy Mondays proud as the track chugs along with an aura of hedonism. The track is among a few on the album that make good use of a gospel-tinged female background vocal.
There are a number of tracks on this record that take steps to reach for the sky with a big, often spacey sound. “Broke as Folk” and “The Winged Boy” both exude the soundscapes of Meddle- era Pink Floyd, the former displaying a chorus that wouldn’t be out of place in the Broadway play, Godspell, and the latter sounding like a return voyage to earth for someone who has just spent a long period of time in space.
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Kula Shaker