Track Listing

1. The Age Of The Understatement
2. Standing Next To Me
3. Calm Like You
4. Separate and Ever Deadly
5. The Chamber
6. Only The Truth
7. My Mistakes Were Made For You
8. Black Plant
9. I Don't Like You Any More
10. In My Room
11. Meeting Place
12. The Time Has Come Again

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4476 in Music
• Released on: 2008-04-21
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Famous for demonstrating how less is more when it comes to publicity, it comes as no surprise that The Age of the Understatement, the first side project from Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys, should appear to no great fanfare. The Last Shadow Puppets are Turner and Miles Kane, formerly of Monkeys tourmates The Little Flames and now in the Rascals, aided by producer (and here, drummer) James Ford, also of Simian Mobile Disco. Inspired by the widescreen orchestral Sixties pop of Scott Walker and legendary arranger David Axelrod, they enlisted the London Metropolitan Orchestra under the aegis of Canadian Owen Pallett (aka Final Fantasy and an erstwhile member of the Arcade Fire's string section). The result is entirely successful, owing as much to the romanticism of Richard Hawley and the eclectic approach of the Coral as any sixties precursors. The thundering title track is pure Scott though, "I Don't Like You Anymore" is twisted pop in the best Cosmic Scouse tradition and the beautiful "Meeting Place", brilliantly enhanced by Pallett's orchestration, already sounds like an old classic. "Standing Next to Me" is genuinely exciting, "Calm Like You" is a new take on Turner's familiar style while "The Chamber" even sees him crooning. The Age of the Understatement is a fine, convincing album that proves Turner's talent is truly adaptable and marks Kane out as a talented songwriter too. --Steve Jelbert

CD Description
The result of a collaboration between Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner and lead singer of The Rascals Miles Kane, The Last Shadow Puppets' debut release is a predictably epic affair. The title track single is a cinematic patchwork of Morricone-esque themes and rhythmic motifs, dashed off with the sullen Northern wit we've come to expect from Turner. Withstrings arranged and conducted by Owen Pallett (otherwise known as Final Fantasy), 'The Age Of The Understatement' is amusical departure for Turner and Kane, taking in influencessuch as Scott Walker and David Bowie.

Customer Reviews

The Age Of Understatement
This is a very solid album, surprisingly good considering it's only a 'side project'. You don't need to be an Arctic Monkeys or Rascals fan to appreciate it, though if you don't like Alex Turner's voice then it won't be for you; he takes on the majority of vocal duties.

Full of (mostly) subtle orchestration and vocal harmonies, it sounds at times quite like the music you'd expect to find in a movie, perhaps a Bond soundtrack (listen to the intro to 'In My Room' and you'll understand). Most of the tracks have a frantic, energetic pace to them, particularly the title track and 'Black Plant'. Imagine the Arctic Monkeys, playing acoustically with an orchestra backing them and you've probably got a decent idea of the sound. The album is just as good when they slow the songs down and trade vocals, like in the brooding 'I Don't Like You Anymore'. It's more 'mature' and serious than anything they've released though, with the lyrics simpler and less wordy than Alex's usual fare. It's not particularly upbeat, all of the songs are quite dark and moody (though 'Meeting Place' gives a welcome respite from this, if not with the lyrics, at least with a more cheerful sound).

This probably won't be as well received as an Arctic Monkeys album, but it's just as good. There's a further depth to it that is lacking sometimes from their normal work, and it's nice to see two artists doing something experimental and different. The title is well chosen; the album is quite understated, definitely one that will grow the more times you listen to it.

Arctic Symphonies
Wow, what an album. These guys are 22. I'm an old fart in my 40s. But I love this record. It's a beautiful headrush of pleasure. The Arctic Monkeys I can take or leave, probably because my ears need a break from staccato guitars and that trebly punky thing. But this is a bold and exhilarating record. I suppose it is Scott Walker-ish (think Seventh Seal) and James Bond-ish (think Chris Cornell's Casino Royale theme song) and Arctic Monkey-ish (Alex Turner's distinctive vocals) but Alex and Miles have done their influences proud and can easily stand up there with the people who served as their inspiration. The first 4 tracks come rushing out of the speakers backed up with a breathless and soaring orchestral accompaniment that is so bombastically over the top you can only grin at its sheer joie de vivre (did I really say that?). Thereafter the quality control wobbles a bit, though I'd say it's only a couple of tracks that are not that great, but things rapidly improve again and the album ends on another, though less thunderous, high.

Voice of a Generation and ..who?
A lovely debut from maybe Britians cutest male duet but is it only famous because of the legacy of Alex Turner?
The strings of Age of the understatement kicks in followed by miltary drums and sweeping strings galore. The pair racing through the lyrics like hurdles. I must say the title track lives to its title it is a big understatement. 2nd track "Standing next to me" makes you feel like your shooshing through the swiss alps in a classic car. With Alex Turner showing that fast indie rock is not the only trick up his sleeve. "Calm like You" is a large swooping landscape yet again with ... yes you guessed it Alex Turner on lead vocals again but an enjoyable song all the least, referring to a realtionship falling apart " I am craving heartbreak as you are making your demands". "Separate and ever deadly now" and whats this? another voice? This must be the Miles Kane the 2nd shadow puppet as he's referred as. Miles earns his stripes in this song showing that he is not shadowed by Alex (Shadowed Gettit? Oh don't worry) The music is now getting quite samey now and dragging on but still a lovely accompiant to the stunning poetry of lyrics. "The Chamber" giving a different slant on a winning formalua with a story of a torture chamber probably? The Highlight of the album being "My Mistakes were made for you"
Strings, Guitar, Brass etc spot on. A chorus of "It was fame that put words in her mouth, she could'nt help but spit them out, innocence and arrogance entwined, in the filthest of minds" Timelessness is the only way to describe "MMWMFY". The remander of the tracks are all the same in the way that there is nothing more to the album than the tracks i've outlined.
If it was only 6 tracks i would have said that the album was a masterpiece. But the other tracks let it down slightly showing that Timelessness is a good thing but trying to the same thing all over an album is not a very good thing.

Andrew Snickett
(1st Review)