Can you believe that 8 years has passed since The Last
Shadow Puppets (TLSP) released ‘The Age of The Understatement’!? Well you
better had…because it has. Not much has changed in that time has it? Alex
Turner has swapped Sheffield for LA, youthful naivety for “that rock n’ roll”
and released 3 studio albums with Arctic Monkeys, the latest of which propelled
them to global success. He’s also managed to fit in a solo project in that time
– writing the music for the film ‘Submarine’. Oh, and there was that other guy
in TLSP as well wasn’t there? Miles Kane is no longer just the mate of the guy
from Arctic Monkeys. Kane has become a credible solo artist in his own right,
releasing two solo albums and gaining a sizeable fan base of his own. Over
these years, the two friends have made it no secret of their desire to revisit
TLSP. A second Puppet album has always felt inevitable given how inseparable
the pair are (Turner co-wrote of Miles’ solo material and Miles himself even
followed Turner to California).
The two friends have spoken in interviews about how they
came about deciding it was the right time to resurrect the side project and
have citied the opening track ‘Aviation’ as a song that sounded ‘too Pupperty’
not be used under the umbrella of TLSP. ‘Aviation’ itself is probably the
closest they come to sounding like their former selves. However within
‘Everything You’ve Come To Expect’, there is a new swagger, a new style, and a
confidence that is no longer bubbling under the surface but is loud and brash
and judging by Kane’s behaviour during a recent Spin interview, this isn’t just
confined to the music. This is most evident in leading single ‘Bad Habits’
where the lounge-lizard act seems to be at its most obvious. The single is
powerful, direct and aggressive yet there is still room for Owen Pallet’s
sweeping, cinematic string arrangements which were characteristic of TLSP’s
debut record.
The standout moments of ‘Everything You’ve Come to Expect’
will divide people more than ever. This is because there is a bit of everything
on this record and it is a celebration of both Turner and Kane’s best
attributes as collective songwriters. In songs like ‘Aviation’ and ‘Bad Habits’
you have the silky, sexy rock and roll that people have become accustomed with
through past work with Arctic Monkeys and Kane’s solo records. But there are also
softer, sweeter tracks that allow Turner to explore the depths of his vocal and
lyrical abilities without the pressure that comes with an Arctic Monkeys
record. In songs such as ‘Sweet Dreams, TN’ and the surreal ‘The Dream
Synopsis’ there can be many similarities drawn between these and the
‘Submarine’ EP.
In my opinion, Turner and Kane have outdone themselves with
this record. They are now far removed from the doe-eyed 22 year olds who made
‘The Age of the Understatement’ but as a partnership they continue to provoke
intriguing responses from each other, pushing each other to their limits. Kane
has upped his game significantly from his last solo record and away from the
pressures of being the main man, Turner is seemingly more comfortable in his
own skin and this is reflected in the music.
Contrary to the name, this album isn’t quite what we’ve come
to expect from TLSP, but who knows - maybe that is just exactly what they
intended.
9/10
