11 June 2008

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement

The Age of the Understatement (2008, Domino) The Last Shadow Puppets' first studio album. ****

Strangely enough, this exciting album is the side project of the Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner. Rarely do "other bands" live up to or even excel past the member's main band. The Last Shadow Puppets is one of those bands. The Age of the Understatement is better than both releases by the Arctic Monkeys in every respect; the thunderous guitar riffs and drumwork, the Ennio Morricone western-feel that the album carries, the boyish yet commanding vocal performances. The tempo of the album rarely shifts, as the title track opens with galloping accolades and continues all the way through. There are occassional breaks, but the album is outstanding; it's short, sweet, and ultimately tight with only a few minor kinks.

2 comments:

Double Hawk said...

I can't believe some one other than me has heard of them. Nice review, but AM aren't bad. Feel free to check out my blog. I do reviews too, similar music choice.

Stephen said...

Hey Double Hawk!

I think I should have been clearer about the Arctic Monkeys. I'm not fond of their first album, but Favourite Worst Nightmare is definitely awesome. It honestly blew me away, and it sounds somewhat similar to the Last Shadow Puppets. I'll be sure to check out your blog, thanks for checking out mine!