Artist: Kula Shaker

Title: Wormslayer (Strange Folk)

Led by the Crispian Mills, the mystical, Indian-influenced Londoners definitely stood out from the Britpop pack when their first album K (like Cast’s bow, produced by John Leckie) appeared in 1996. Amid a six-year period, the group had five singles UK top 10 hits and crossed over to US alternative/mainstream rock radio with “Hey Dude,” “Tattva” (partially sung in Sanskrit) and a cover of the Deep Purple-popularized “Hush.”

Kula Shaker was also a special guest for Oasis during the famous Knebworth ’96 gigs. They split a few years later and returned to make 2007’s Strangefolk. Mills said having keyboardist Jay Darlington back in the original lineup has brought a “huge burst of energy” and was like “a shot of life.”

Such vitality is clear throughout engaging eighth album Wormslayer. The appealing glam-styled stomp “Lucky Number” is infused with Kula Shaker’s usual positive vibes; the same is true of the spacey and fun, party-hearty “Good Money” (featuring a British Punjabi dhol percussionist). Intriguingly, some tunes were based on ancient poems, including WB Yeats.

Elsewhere, the ambitious title track clocks in at nearly 8 minutes, the pastoral folk-styled numbers are charmers, “Little Darling” is a dreamy standout and “Broke as Folk,” where the musicians simultaneously channel Pink Floyd and The Doors - truly mesmerizing. Highly recommended.

Info: amazon.com 

Artist: Cast  

Title: Yeah Yeah Yeah (Scruff of the Neck)

When Liverpool’s Cast emerged with its excellent 1995 debut album All Change, singer/guitarist John Power already had a respected pedigree as a member of The La’s, whose chiming ’88 single “There She Goes” and lone album were widely considered classics.

He carried a bit of that band’s jangle pop sensibility over to Cast, but with a rockier thrust. At the height of the Britpop era, Cast notched several UK top 10 albums and singles before dissolving in ’01. They returned nearly a decade later.

The new album, produced by Youth, is their fourth since then and a real corker. Hot on the heels of opening the Oasis reunion tour (Noel Gallagher is an avowed fan), Yeah Yeah Yeah still finds the musicians firing on all cylinders. Standout “Poison Vine” is a joyous raveup featuring a Stonesy sound and soulful female backing vocals from legend P.P. Arnold (among two tunes she appears on). “Don’t Look Away,” another strong rocker, contains the potent pipes of another veteran, Mary Pearce.

Often enriched with brass and strings, other songs like “Free Love” (guitarist Liam Tyson adds familiar hallmarks), the retro 1960s pop-leaning “Teardrops” and a majestic “Birds Heading South” (think mid-period Echo & the Bunnymen) will appeal to longtime fans. An early year-end best contender.

Info: amazon.com