The Age of the Understatement

Alex Turner and Miles Kane’s new project The Last Shadow Puppets

Obviously not going to repose on their laurels the lead singers of bands Arctic Monkeys and The Rascals Alex Turner and Miles Kane never cease to surprise with their new ideas. The last of them was born during the joined performances of the two collectives that have achieved unbelievable success both in the native Great Britain and abroad and was embodied in the form of their new project The Last Shadow Puppets. To work on the new material the vocalists went to France where within two weeks only they recorded an album in collaboration with arranger Owen Pallett and producer James Ford who played drums now and then and with the accompaniment of a 22-piece orchestra. An absolutely unique record The Age Of The Understatement exceeds all your expectations as it is utterly different from the creations of any of the band whose front men are its creators. A much more mature, serious and incredibly stylish creation The Age Of The Understatement is a full debut album of a new band that is The Last Shadow Puppets, that has appeared right in time on the music scene to present the world with its unforgettable songs.

Flame of emotions on The Age Of The Understatement

Despite some resemblance with the works of both Arctic Monkeys and The Rascals The Age Of The Understatement is twelve absolutely different and inimitable tracks, and although the album lasts a little longer than half an hour the emotions that it arouses last much longer. Besides as soon as you finish listening you are sure to turn it on again to enjoy again and again these beautiful songs among which there is not a single one that wants skipping. The album opens with the title track, a splendid march composition with a distinct melody, and a rhythmic single Standing Next To Me pleases with wonderful violins and touching romantic lyrics. A most interesting anthem Calm Like You with a changing tempo and a magnificent sounding and a complicated composition Separate And Ever Deadly with hard drums and a direct text contrast with a slow track The Chamber, refined with a cascade of vocals against the background of a faultless orchestra accompaniment. The most impetuous number is the amazingly contagious track Only The Truth, making one think of a western soundtrack, while a wonderfully beautiful composition My Mistakes Were Made For You with deeply thought lyrics deserves to become the main theme of a new agent 007 film. The record’s central moment is song I Don't Like You Any More defining its main mood. This unforgettable creation presents the concentration of the two vocalists’ perfect harmonies, touching guitars and sullen heavy noises without which no emotionally powerful work can do. A song again perfectly suitable for a spy movie In My Room, pleasing with an impetuous rhythm and penetrating fiddles is another example of what two talented musicians are able to perform together, and keeping up with it are composition Time Has Come Again, and the closer The Meeting Place, on which the vocalists accompanied by a guitar gradually extinguish the flame of emotions that has almost flared up.

A great example of team work

From the very first sounds of The Age Of The Understatement it is clear how the wind blows for this music shouts to be called classic. As Turner and Kane have confessed themselves they have been inspired by the works of Scott Walker and David Bowie’s early. On the whole the result has proved to be more interesting than the musicians of The Last Shadow Puppets must have supposed themselves. The record seems to resemble all the last century’s best creations at once including the late works of The Beatles, Lead Zeppelin and even Queen while it can by no means be called out-of-date. Certainly the participation of the orchestra in recording has played a big part but the heroes of the occasion are definitely the two talented artists who have simply found each other – that successful their creative tandem has proved to be. Both the guys are barely over twenty years old and their first collaboration is merely a piece of art. Hopefully the evident success of project The Last Shadow Puppets will not let the musicians relax too much and they will continue to surprise us with their outstanding ideas in future as well. Meanwhile album The Age Of The Understatement is more than enough to be convinced of their talent and admire a great example of team work.