The Last Shadow Puppets | ||
| Allmusic Biography : A Scott Walker- and David Bowie-inspired collaboration between the Arctic Monkeys Alex Turner and the Rascals Miles Kane, the Last Shadow Puppets began when Kanes previous band, the Little Flames, toured with the Arctic Monkeys in 2007. Already friends from prior gigs together, the pair started writing songs that spring, and headed into a French studio late that summer with producer/drummer James Ford. Additional recording, including strings courtesy of the London Metropolitan Orchestra and arranger Owen Pallett (of Final Fantasy), was completed that December. Early in 2008, the Last Shadow Puppets played a pair of shows in New York and announced that their debut single and album, both titled The Age of the Understatement, would arrive that spring on Domino Records. The album was generally well-received and even garnered a Mercury Prize nomination. While there was talk of making another album, the duo would ultimately take their time returning to the studio. During the next several years, Turner continued his work with Arctic Monkeys, releasing 2009s Humbug, 2011s Suck It and See, and 2013s AM. Kane also kept busy releasing two solo albums with 2011s Colour of the Trap and 2013s Dont Forget Who You Are. The duo did reconvene for several live shows, including a performance during Kanes supporting slot for the Arctic Monkeys in Paris in 2012 and again at Kanes Glastonbury set in 2013. It was only after the Arctic Monkeys went on hiatus in 2014 that Turner and Kane reunited in Los Angeles to begin work on new material. Working with producer James Ford and longtime collaborator arranger Owen Pallett, the Last Shadow Puppets recorded their sophomore full-length album, 2016s Everything Youve Come to Expect. The album, which peaked at number one on the U.K. albums chart, showcased more of the duos orchestral-steeped sound, and included the singles "Bad Habits" and "Aviation." Also in 2016, they delivered the six-song EP, The Dream Synopsis. Included on the EP were re-recordings of two songs off Everything Youve Come to Expect, as well as a handful of covers including songs by Jacques Dutronc, Glaxo Babies, and Leonard Cohen. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 4 Title: The Age of the Understatement Released: 2008-04-16 Tracks: 12 Duration: 34:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Age of the Understatement (03:07) 2 Standing Next to Me (02:18) 3 Calm Like You (02:26) 4 Separate and Ever Deadly (02:38) 5 The Chamber (02:37) 6 Only the Truth (02:44) 7 My Mistakes Were Made for You (03:04) 8 Black Plant (03:59) 9 I Don’t Like You Anymore (03:05) 10 In My Room (02:29) 11 Meeting Place (03:55) 12 The Time Has Come Again (02:22) |
| The Age of the Understatement : Allmusic album Review : Its not that often that side projects are more ambitious than the players main bands, but the Last Shadow Puppets, the collaboration between the Arctic Monkeys Alex Turner and the Rascals Miles Kane, is one of those rare birds. With their day jobs, Turner and Kane are revivalists of different strains of "angry young British man" rock, but with the help of drummer/producer James Ford (also of Simian Mobile Disco), arranger Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy), and the London Metropolitan Orchestra, on The Age of the Understatement they revitalize the lush, symphonic pop of early Scott Walker and David Bowie, when they needed an orchestra to express just how sweeping their feelings were. The title tracks galloping strings-and-timpani drama begins the album, making it readily apparent just how ironic The Age of the Understatements name is, and just how well the Last Shadow Puppets have recaptured that lavish late-60s/early-70s sound. The main update to it comes from Turner and Kanes voices; stark and suave like Walker and Bowie they are not, but thats a good thing -- their boyish, unpretentious voices and brotherly harmonies keep the album from dipping into kitsch. Instead, a surprising urgency runs through The Age of the Understatement, most noticeably on the taut "Calm Like You" and "Separate and Ever Deadly," but also on softer moments like "The Meeting Place" and the extremely Walker-esque "My Mistakes Were Made for You." Whenever the drama threatens to become too monotonous, the band knows when to change things up: "I Dont Like You Anymore" brings in more of the Arctic Monkeys spit and spite, building up to a livid guitar solo that practically shakes with loathing, while "Standing Next to Me" and "Time Has Come" rein in the bombast. Despite all the intensity, the Last Shadow Puppets have a light touch -- their songs are short and dont overstay their welcome, and the whole affair is just arty and indulgent enough to make it special. Its not an overstatement to say that The Age of the Understatement is a likable, accomplished working holiday. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 4 Title: My Mistakes Were Made for You Released: 2008-10-21 Tracks: 8 Duration: 23:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 My Mistakes Were Made for You (03:04) 2 Separate and Ever Deadly (live) (02:53) 3 Paris Summer (live) (03:33) 4 My Little Red Book (live) (02:41) 5 The Age of the Understatement (acoustic) (02:57) 6 Standing Next to Me (acoustic) (02:26) 7 The Meeting Place (acoustic) (02:51) 8 My Mistakes Were Made for You (acoustic) (02:58) |
 | Album: 3 of 4 Title: Everything You’ve Come to Expect Released: 2016-04-01 Tracks: 12 Duration: 40:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Aviation (03:43) 2 Miracle Aligner (04:05) 3 Dracula Teeth (02:51) 4 Everything You’ve Come to Expect (03:13) 5 The Element of Surprise (02:52) 6 Bad Habits (03:00) 7 Sweet Dreams, TN (03:56) 8 Used to Be My Girl (02:55) 9 She Does the Woods (03:30) 10 Pattern (04:15) 11 The Dream Synopsis (03:03) 12 The Bourne Identity (03:05) |
| Everything You’ve Come to Expect : Allmusic album Review : With the Last Shadow Puppets, Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner and singer/songwriter Miles Kane, garnered well-earned Scott Walker and David Bowie comparisons, as well as a Mercury Prize nomination for their 2008 debut, The Age of the Understatement. A broodingly realized, highly orchestral production, the album wowed fans of 60s Baroque pop and 70s spaghetti western soundtracks. Eight years later, the duo are back with their similarly atmospheric, wicked-tongued sophomore album, 2016s Everything Youve Come to Expect. The duo recorded the album after Arctic Monkeys went on hiatus in 2014 leaving Turner at loose ends in his adopted home of Los Angeles. While both Turner and Kane have stockpiled accolades on their own, there is definitely a dark, creative menace that ignites when they collaborate. Best buds since their bands toured together in the early 2000s, Turner and Kane often appear as debonair lounge lizards, mad lads on the loose with talent and charisma to spare -- or to toss off like half-spent cigarettes. Which is to say, they make writing catchy, literate songs sound easy. Not too many people can fit the term, "Sectoral Heterochromia" into a pop song like the Last Shadow Puppets do so deftly on the sparkling, dark-hued "Aviation." In fact, whether its a "spirograph of branches that dance on the breeze," in "She Does the Woods," or their cheeky summation of one womans je ne sais quoi as "the first day of spring with a septum piercing," on "Sweet Dreams, TN," the album is fecund with the duos knack for poetic turns of phrase; their "enthusiasm paraphernalia" as they call it on "Dracula Teeth." The lyrics, devilishly wedded to their echo-chamber-laden arrangements and sneering Bowie-esque croons, play like coded spells set to music. Part of the Last Shadow Puppets pop magic is the wry sense of humor that keeps their obsessions (namely femme fatales and the things men do to get over them) from ever getting too self-serious. As they sing on the sinister punk mariachi groover, "Bad Habits," "Should have known little girl that youd do me wrong." Utterly infectious and rife with sexual desire, the track stands out as one of most aggressive and unforgettable on the album. Ultimately, Everything Youve Come to Expect plays like a west coast film noir fever dream, scored by Ennio Morricone, with Kane and Turner the doomed protagonists, chasing icy blondes and lollipop Lolitas down their own debauched Hitchcock-ian spiral. As they sing on "Bad Habits," "Deep trouble...delicious." | ||
 | Album: 4 of 4 Title: The Dream Synopsis EP Released: 2016-12-02 Tracks: 6 Duration: 24:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Aviation (03:46) 2 Les cactus (03:20) 3 Totally Wired (03:37) 4 This Is Your Life (02:55) 5 Is This What You Wanted (06:46) 6 The Dream Synopsis (03:42) |