The Last Shadow Puppets
It’s not often that things make their way straight from the breathless email of a marketing monkey to my inbox to the blog without a lot more time spent letting things sink in. In this case however I’ve been curious for news about this project for some time but always assumed it would be one of those major label projects that would bring the Web Sherriff down on my head like a sack of spanners.
You can imagine, therefore, my surprise and delight when an email not only plugging this band, but also containing two promotional mp3s officially sanctioned the the Enforcers of teh Internetz, landed in the Toadly inbox.
The Last Shadow Puppets are a side project of Miles Kane from The Rascals (who?) and Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys, and inspired by a mutual love of Scott Walker and early Bowie. The album itself is recorded with a full 22-piece orchestra, so quite how representative these acoustic versions will be is anyone’s guess, but it’ll be out on Monday (except in the States – ha ha!) so you can judge for yourselves.
I tend to waver on the Arctic Monkeys. They have some great songs, but the last album didn’t really excite me all that much and, if I’m honest, the first one took me quite a while to get into as well. Alex Turner is undeniably a really gifted lyricist though, and from the interviews I have read seems like an intelligent, inquisitive fellow so I have high hopes for The Age of the Understatement. Turner seems to have been developing an interest in 50s rock ‘n’ roll recently: something of an affinity for the same influences that inform Richard Hawley. Basically, this is a good thing, and if this project gives him the chance to throw off the shackles of the often mealy pub-rock of the Monkeys then this can only be good news.
The Last Shadow Puppets – My Mistakes Were Made For You
The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of Understatement
They were on Jools Holland the other night (and I guess again tonight – Friday) and I have to say I was very much impressed. If they’re going for the Scott Walker thing then they’ve done it very well. Best thing I’ve seen on that show for some time (usually see the line up and turn off). Thanks Mr Toad.
Hard to imagine this with a full orchestra behind it. I’m looking forward to this a great deal.
Yeah I can’t really imagine it either, but I’d definitely file it under intriguing. Any Scott Walker flavours are definitely welcome.
The orchestra on Jools Holland really transformed it
I posted that Jools video, it’s rather good. However, you completely neglected to mention that Owen Pallett did the strings for that album, and I’m fairly sure the rules of music blogging state a flogging is in order for such a crime.
Wow. Not an Arctic Monkeys fan, so had very low expectations about this band. You’re prompted me to listen, and these two tracks are pretty damn cool.
Shane – as in the Final Fantasy onanator-in-chief? I thought he was supposed to be awfully credible and all that. Not that I like Final Fantasy, but isn’t that supposed to be a good thing?
Rich -hello old chap! I’m not all that keen on the Monkeys either, but these two sound good. Not at all sure what all those strings might do to things though.
I like the album… but am I the only one that thinks they basically sound like The Coral?
Ooh, not heard the record yet, but I can state with some vehemence that sounding like The Coral would Not Be a Good Thing!
I thought the arctic monkeys were alright,but this album is absolutely in every way a rip off of the coral,from fake scouse accents to the guitars,just buy a coral album its better
I take it you guys all mean the new Coral album? Because by my estimation they have been going pretty sharply downhill ever since their debut.