The Age Of The Understatement Album Artwork
The Last Shadow Puppets
The Age Of The Understatement
(EMI Music Publishing Ltd / Deltasonic Music Ltd)
By Cheryl Leong
Choice Cut : The Chamber, The Meeting Place, The Time Has Come Again
Official website: http://www.thelastshadowpuppets.com/
Now seriously, what would you expect from an album christened The Age Of The Understatement? Short of raising an eyebrow at the pseudo-Victorian sounding title, Brit pop/rock has never held much appeal for me, I admit, not having been weaned on that staple diet.
The album took me a second listen before making any significant impact (hey, I'll bet my bottom dollar it will for you too!). After that the rest, as they say, is history.
Alex Turner, front man of Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane of The Rascals got together after the latter's previous band, The Little Flames (yes, who?), played support for Arctic Monkeys, and now call themselves The Last Shadow Puppets. The Age Of The Understatement is their debut effort - lush, inventive and credible to boot.
Taking you through a fast, furious, and mostly humorous ride from start to finish, the album is testament to Turner's exquisite skill in composition. Be prepared to get tangled up in the knotty, intelligent but heart-felt metaphorical lyrics as he observes the universal tyranny of Women who love 'em and leave 'em, and everything in between.
Throw in Owen Pallett, renown orchestrator with Arcade Fire, and you've got yourself a grand and melodious b****-fest, laced with biting wit that will leave even the most hardened cynic chuckling to himself.
The album begins on a high with the title track, a galloping romp that will trot its way right into your heart. "In My Room" slides like a classic '70s Bond espionage theme, and "Separate and Ever Deadly" marches along with dark, menacing and oh-so-wicked military beats.
It seems the Puppets do better on slow numbers though. "Meeting Place" is a wistful and nostalgic remembrance of brief encounters. "The Time Has Come Again" is a tender finale; a dreamy and simple tune carried strongly with reverb-acoustics and Turner's laden vocals.
Drawing inspiration mostly from early David Bowie and Scott Walker, the tracks are intriguing, unusual and fresh. While connoisseurs of Brit pop/rock may be quick to thrash this album as a shameless remake of a past era, what's the big deal?
Think of it as a homage to the pair's shared love of '70s symphonic pop, and you'll be drawn into the compelling merit and talent of this irreverent and certainly talented duo.
Heaven forbid you should dismiss this as a mere 'side project'. That would be a gross understatement indeed.
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