With a length of exactly 28 minutes, it is the band's shortest album to date. It is also their first album since Kasabian (2004) not to feature profanity.
Background and singles
Kasabian announced Happenings on 5 December 2023, shortly after recording wrapped with two days left for the mixing process. Inspired by gigs of 1960s psychedelic bands, it was said to be a "joyous" album filled with "big tunes". The band started recording while they were touring their previous record The Alchemist's Euphoria in late 2022.[3] The album release on 5 July 2024 will coincide with their homecoming headline show at Victoria Park, Leicester on 6 July.[4]
The lead single "Algorithms", a commentary on the emergence of artificial intelligence, was released on 16 June 2023, more than a year ahead of the album release.[5] "Call" was released as the second single on 21 February 2024, a song the band referred to as "dance music".[6] On 12 April, they released the "summer-ready" "Coming Back to Me Good" in the form "of a short and sweet anthem" with a "disco drive" but also moments of "togetherness", according to Serge Pizzorno.[7]
Critical reception
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Happenings received a score of 74 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on 13 critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[8]Mojo felt that "short it may be, but Happenings is full of ideas".[18]
The album's production was acclaimed; Neil McCormick of The Telegraph applauded the band's continuation of their pop sound.[19] Robin Murray of Clash praised the songwriting and new direction,[20] while Phil Mongredien of The Guardian said that "with Meighan gone, Happenings does at times sound like the work of a band struggling with an identity crisis and consequently cosplaying some of their peers".[21]
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