Search - The Last Shadow Puppets :: Age of the Understatement

A Great Album in a Time of Horrible Music

Jessie | Charleston, WV USA | 02/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm nineteen years old, and I hate most current music with a fiery passion. I'm an avid fan of classic rock, and I hardly listen to any music that came out after the 70s. Having said that, this is one of three new bands whose music I actually enjoy.



I'm not a musician. This isn't a review of how the album sounded technically, or about how the influences of this, that, and the other can clearly be heard. I don't know about any of that. All I know is that this music is wonderful. It obviously has influences from older music, but it's also completely original. It's so completely different from all the drivel that the radio and television stations try to cram down my throat. Alex and Miles are brilliant songwriters, and the instrumentation is absolutely beautiful. I can listen to "The Meeting Place" or "Time Has Come Again" over and over. Overall, this is one of the best albums I've ever heard. I'm so glad Alex and Miles got on so well and decided to record together, and I hope they continue with The Last Shadow Puppets for a long time to come.



I'd like to bring up something that bothered me as I read the reviews. Alex is NOT the only member in the band, and he's not any more important than Miles. Most of the reviews talk about how great Alex is, or compare this album with Arctic Monkeys, but Miles was hardly mentioned at all. I know Alex is more famous, but they did this together. They wrote the songs together, they both sang, and they both played instruments. They made the album because they're best friends and they like the same music, and it aggravates me to no end when people refer to The Last Shadow Puppets as "the side project of Alex Turner." They're both in other bands, that doesn't make this a side project. Sorry if this turned into a rant, but I would like to see Miles get some credit and attention for a change."

What an amazing talent

David Sheridan | Fanwood, New Jersey USA | 11/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Several reviews previously posted cite all of the obvious direct influences - Scott Walker, Ennio Morricone, Love's "Forever Changes" and more, all valid comparisons but more importantly (taken with the Arctic Monkeys), evidence of the breadth and depth of Alex Turner's pop instincts. We could be watching a new Elvis Costello, a new Damon Albarn, a new Ray Davies...he has that much stylistic integrity, showing signs of absorbing different genres like a chameleon, has such impressive songwriting chops. I simply can't wait to see what he comes up with next, I just think that it'll be a masterful, mature work and will be the last thing we would have expected. This guy's only in his early 20's; the only artist I ever recall bursting onto the scene this young with such advanced songwriting skills was Roddy Frame.



This album manages to be grand and intimate at the same time, it flows well and has no weak song. It's easy for symphonic pop to sound overproduced, but this never falls into that trap, in fact it never loses its singer-songwriter feel, and the songs would probably all sound great if it was just him and an acoustic guitar. Possibly the best LP of 2008."

Lovely!

Fani | Greece | 05/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not a music expert, but from the moment my husband put this CD in the player I was hooked. Incredible, symphonic pop-rock with a retro feeling that's quite unique in an age that nothing seems original anymore. Can't hear it enough and it's even not the style I usually listen to!"