ACT III

The thinking behind the title of Kasabian’s ninth album is that the third act is where everything comes together. <i>ACT III</i> is the band’s third album in their current iteration, capping a six-year period that began with songwriter and ringleader Serge Pizzorno taking on vocal duties after the sacking of original singer Tom Meighan following a domestic assault charge. It’s fitting that the record arrives soon after some of the band’s biggest live shows since their resurgence (including a Leeds Festival headline slot). <i>ACT III</i> is steeped in the intoxicating euphoria of their gigs—for any song to make the cut, it had to be good enough to edge out something else on the setlist—while also being inspired by Pizzorno’s trips to see Radiohead, Oasis and Fred again... These songs pinball from exuberant disco psychedelia (<b>“SILVER APPLE EYES”</b>) to warm, ’70s-tinged pop (<b>“SAY YOU (CLOSER)”</b>) to urgent anthems (<b>“GREAT PRETENDER”</b>), everything underpinned by Pizzorno’s knack for an indelible hook. Despite the title, <i>ACT III</i> doesn’t sound like the end of something. This version of Kasabian is only just getting going.