Average
Being the front man of one of the most popular modern British bands to breath air, the Arctic Monkeys, Alex Turner now gives us his side-project The Last Shadow Puppets. Formed with best-mate Miles Kane of The Rascals. From a critical point of view, this brave, innovative move could go one of two ways. Either it’s met with success and The Last Shadow Puppets breed the start of a side-project revolution or it goes terribly wrong and the Last Shadow Puppets are definitely the last to try it, and the band’s obituary would come with a short and sweet footnote “Don’t Try This at Home”.
When one listens to the Last Shadow Puppets, one simply concludes that it’s the Arctic Monkeys minus the good-writing factor. I mean, the lyrical form of the Arctic Monkeys could never be expected to be matched by a side-project, could it? Yes, granted, it could be argued that there are still elements of the monkeys’ witty lines but this band keep falling into pastiche territory. They’re not original or groundbreaking they’re merely travesty of the Arctic Monkeys. A faint echo of what has already came before them and conquered.
The only song of any real excitement or radiance is title-track “The Age Of The Understatement”. The surplus of the album is very much mediocre, sloppy, uninspiring and just completely dull. The musicianship just gusts of incompetence and carelessness, it’s hard to listen to in parts. The album is nothing more than yawn-worthy. It’s dreary, repetitive and utterly tedious.
The Last Shadow Puppets popularity depends on how many monkeys fans decide to go out and buy their music, out of sheer pity, because I’m sure that it’s not for the love of this band or their music that Arctic Monkey’s fans will feel the need to buy it. Turner is very mistaken if he thinks that the Last Shadow Puppets success well stand the test of time. It’s no substitute for Sheffield’s finest. Bring back the Arctic Monkeys.