The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of The Understatement

• 13th May 2008

What a corker this joint effort is. It truly exceeds all expectations. The scrumptious Alex Turner and yummy Miles Kane team up to create twelve songs that makes up ‘The Age of the Understatement’.

Yes, it is hard to differentiate this album from anything by the Arctic Monkeys, purely because we are hearing the same voice, but that is what we need to do; it is a side project from that little bubble offering something amazing and unique.

Many side projects don’t live up to much or fail but this is a gem. It is highly powerful, dramatic and full of emotion. It almost resembles a Western soundtrack, picture John Wayne on horseback riding into the sunset and basically you have the mood this album exudes.

The title track ‘The Age of the Understatement’ was the perfect taster to this thrilling set of tracks. ‘Standing Next to Me’ is by far the best track on here, (if there had to be a best track!). It sounds out influences of The La’s and the Bluetones, whilst Miles’ voice perfectly compliments the sensationalist strings.

‘Calm Like You’ picks up the pace again and Alex takes lead vocals. His charm and Northern accent shine through.

If you’re looking for an album as punchy and quick firing as ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’ then this isn’t really it. Don’t get me wrong, in parts, the album is like that, but this is what you call drama! Rather than having teenage crowd-surfing songs fill the album, heartfelt arrangements with thick orchestral climaxes do and make this one of the most perfect albums released this year.