In a three-act story, the third act typically brings the climax and resolution. There’s hardly any of either in Kasabian’s “ACT III.”
The English alternative rock band released its ninth studio album “ACT III” on Friday. Running at just under 33 minutes, “ACT III” leans into a more groovy and playful side of Kasabian. The band’s third album since the 2020 departure of then-lead singer Tom Meighan presents a different Kasabian from the rugged, aggressive band behind hits like “Club Foot” and “Underdog.” Despite having several foot-tapping tracks, “ACT III” remains a mediocre record as Kasabian continues its search for identity in the post-Meighan era.
After a short prelude, “SOULMATE” opens the album with the band’s characteristic distorted electric guitar and heavy kick drums. The belting vocals in the verses is almost reminiscent of Meighan’s in “Velociraptor!” (2011). This track is the most Kasabian song of the entire album with its vocal processing and instrumentation.
In contrast, the soft and melodic “GLIDE” may be the least Kasabian-sounding one. The acoustic guitar, piano and strings build a thin texture, working together with the ultrareverbed vocals to create an elusive, dreamy feeling. While a decent song when viewed as a standalone, the track feels out of place, especially when sandwiched between two heavily distorted, percussive songs, “THE GURU AND THE CRYPTO TIME MACHINE” and “HYPER//RISING.”
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Those two tracks are not melodious enough to be anthemic and not disturbing enough to be attention-worthy. Unlike most of the album, they stray from dancefloor-ready energy, but their distortion and loudness are not pointing toward vintage Kasabian, either. If the two songs are attempts to return to the band’s eponymous album from the early 2000s, the effort remains unsuccessful.
Written and composed solely by frontman Serge Pizzorno, “GREAT PRETENDER” is a straightforwardly mellow, intimate but uplifting monologue of the writer’s impostor syndrome. Released as a single in April, the song contrasts its lyrics about isolation and disillusion with a major key. Unlike “Thick As Thieves” (2009), which sarcastically criticizes insincerity, “GREAT PRETENDER” offers an escape from it. “Now it’s time for me to surrender / And we can dance again, dance again,” Pizzorno sings as melodic guitar plucks.
Kasabian has never produced the hardest rock music. A little indulgence of lightheartedness between the “bar room brawls” is not unforeseen in the band’s prepandemic era. Synthesizers appear at the very beginning of “Underdog,” the opening song of “West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum” (2009). The discoesque beats, the vocoder and even a saxophone solo in the eight-and-a-half-minute “Are You Looking for Action?” (2017) make it effortless to dance to. Ultimately, the dance sidequests are sweeteners to the sour, uncompromising rock and roll.
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“ACT III,” in contrast, stands out as more of a dance album than a rock one in Kasabian’s discography. “Hippie Sunshine,” “NOTHING BETTER THAN THIS,” “SILVER APPLE EYES” and “GREAT PRETENDER” are all perfect songs to get the feet jumping. Yet, they feel like an unnecessary sway from the band’s trademark.
Productionwise, Pizzorno continued the collaboration with British producer Mark Ralph from the previous record “Happenings” (2024). Ralph, who has produced for Clean Bandit, Sub Focus and Zara Larsson, brings his expertise in pop and electronic dance music to the table. With Ralph’s aid, Kasabian sells an even bigger piece of bubblegum in “ACT III” that seems to be too big for the rock band.
The third album after Meighan’s departure, “ACT III” shows Kasabian’s identity crisis since the band’s major alteration. The groovy dance tracks may prevent commercial failure but do not reflect the sound that made Kasabian iconic. On the other hand, the inclusion of several loud, distorted songs shows the band’s attempt to recreate its early 2000s soundscape. Unfortunately, these efforts are miles away from standing with the band’s greatest hits.
Listeners can dance, of course, but “Where do you hide if you don’t know who you are?” remains unanswered.
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