I never bought into the hype surrounding The Arctic Monkeys when they hit a couple years ago. Something about them just really rubbed me the wrong way, and I could never put my finger on it. Until I realized that that was the problem precisely. The Monkeys sounded like they were putting ten totally disparate influences into a blender, and the sounds that they created from that just never seemed to jell properly or complement each other. Some Libertines here, some Specials there, a dash of Oasis, and a healthy sprinkling of Pulp, all filtered through an oddly dance-punk lens. In theory, I should love Arctic Monkeys. But it’s just a case of too many cooks in the kitchen.
But when I heard about Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner’s new project The Last Shadow Puppets, it sounded right up my alley. Grandiose chamber pop in the vein of Scott Walker’s first four solo joints? Sign me up!
By and large, the album doesn’t disappoint. There’s a clearly identifiable aesthetic tying the songs together, but they’re not what I’d call same-y. They’re hyper-melodic, and each songs features a propulsive, anecdotal narrative. I’m always impressed by songwriters that can pull off story-songs with aplomb, and Turner certainly does so here.
The Age of the Understatement’s ‘My Mistakes Were Made For You’ is easily my favorite track on the record. From the rich orchestration to the biting surf guitar leads, the suave delivery of the scrumptious minor-key melody…there’s nothing here not to love. And perhaps most impressive of all is the fact that the album as a whole is so good that it has me reconsidering my stance on the Arctic Monkeys. Not too shabby for a side-project.
