KASABIAN: The Alchemist’s

KASABIAN: The Alchemist’s (Columbia)

Rating:

Verdict: Pick ‘n’ mix Pizzorno

PALE WAVES: Unwanted (Dirty Hit)

Rating:

Verdict: Surfs the pop-punk currents

ERASURE: Day-Glo (Based On A True Story) (Mute)

Rating:

Verdict: Sleek but slight 

Kasabian have always walked a tightrope between lad-rock and the more esoteric tastes of songwriter Serge Pizzorno.

The Leicester band’s rabble-rousing instincts landed them a Glastonbury headline slot in 2014; guitarist Pizzorno’s love of hip-hop, electronics, and arty film scores kept them interesting.

Their appeal was rooted in the musical tension between Pizzorno and ex-singer Tom Meighan, who was the band’s energetic focal point onstage. 

That partnership came to an abrupt end in 2020 when Meighan left the group by mutual consent a day before pleading guilty to assaulting his then-fiancée (now his wife) Vikki Ager.

The former frontman was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and entered rehab for alcohol addiction. He has since moved to Cornwall and launched a solo career.

The rest of the band decided to carry on without him, with Pizzorno becoming lead singer. 

The Alchemist’s Euphoria is the first new music from the reconfigured line-up — which also features Chris Edwards, Ian Matthews and second guitarist Tim Carter — and, perhaps understandably, it’s an uneven affair.

There are nods to the crowd-pleasing Britpop swagger of old, but it’s Pizzorno’s more eclectic leanings that hold sway.

He doesn’t hold back.He made an experimental solo album, The S.L.P., three years ago and revisits similar styles here. 

There are guitar-driven rockers, rap numbers, ambient interludes and even a folk tune.Many of the song titles — Scriptvre, Alygatyr, Stargazr — take liberties with the English language.

In covering so many bases, there’s a sense the new frontman might be trying too hard in the wake of Meighan’s departure and The Alchemist’s Euphoria will leave many fans scratching their heads. 

Where they once modelled themselves on Oasis and Primal Scream, their closest bedfellows now may be Radiohead.

There are moments to savour.Scriptvre opens like an East Midlands take on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1991 single Give It Away before developing into a psychedelic rocker with Eastern strings and quirky synths. 

The Wall, a big, emotional ballad about overcoming adversity, was aired during the BBC’s coverage of the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 win.

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