The Age of the Understatement
When I look at pictures of Alex Turner and Miles Kane together, I can’t help but think their new band was some idea thought up after a night of heavy drinking and strip poker.
Firstly there are the people that see Turner finally stepping out into the limelight to lap up the celebrity lifestyle, and cash in on his success with the Monkeys’ by releasing a duet album with his new best mate. Then there are also the people that think Kane is using this project to stir up some interest for his in-hype but struggling for popularity band The Rascals.
However, when you throw all those equations out of the window and take the time to sit down and listen to their debut album, that’s when you can start making comparisons to the great duos of music history.
The opening title track and debut single ‘The Age of the Understatement’ is quick to point out that this is a serious record and not just a weekend job. The thunderbolt beat and cute pop vocals from Turner and Kane play off of each other like a Torvelle and Dean Dance.
Many critics have labelled it as a Bond theme album, and to be honest, they’re not far wrong.
Review
Track #1: The Age of the Understatement
The title track opener sports a fiery drum roll, clever riffs and percussion perfection that lament a truly epic beginning of the album.”What seemed all unknowing and candid, but they suspected it was false”. These lyrics speak of the mysteriousness and deceitfulness of this “relentless marauder”.
Track #2: Standing Next To Me
True guitar pop down to the bare nails that could easily be released as a single later this year, it seems to be getting a lot of popularity on iTunes at the moment as the next best song past the title track, however I think the real genius in this album lies later on the in record, with ‘Separate and Ever Deadly’ and ‘I Don’t Like You Anymore’.
Track #3: Calm Like You
Building ever so gently with drums and trumpets, before Turner’s explodes onto the scene and unleashes his toned down acoustic voice that without Matt Helder backing, sounds all sheepish; it’s only when Kane joins in does it all start to make sense.
Track #4: Separate and Ever Deadly
This is my favourite song on the record, Kane and Turner really nail it on the chorus and towards to the end of versus when their vocals play off of each other. It’s almost like prose at a West End show. “Can’t you tell I’m a ghost in the wrong coat/Biting butter and crumbs”, is possibly the best duet piece of the album that stereotypes the shifts of personality during relationships.
Track #5: The Chamber
Starting out calm and collected, the voice of Turner takes over for the majority of the song with Kane backing. ‘The Chamber’ is a mellow song about blind love and being locked inside your own feelings for someone, and the inability to see the bigger picture. It’s beautifully put together, but for me it’s just too short and the ending to the song really doesn’t do the rest of the work justice.
Track #6: Only the Truth
Upbeat and powerful, the riffs in this track are sublime, they burst and burn your ears, and percussion and violins circumvent the vocals. “Only the truth, she reckons she holds”. There’s something about this song that reminds me of Arcade Fire, exploding with noise and energy with every note, almost like ‘No Cars Go’, yet at 2:44 it’s yet again on the short side. This record really is turning into a short and sweet affair.
Track #7: My Mistakes Were Made for You
For me this is the closest thing this record offers to the Monkeys’ brilliance, like a 505 sliced with ‘Do Me a Favour’, only with the thunderous ending of the latter left out. At this point of the record, I’m starting to question the importance of Kane, it’s almost like Domino asked there to be a lot more from Turner on purpose. Obviously because they realised it would sell more copies.
Track #8: Black Plant
‘Black Plant’ is a joy of a listen; Kane’s backing flows sweetly with the beat and accompanies Turners vocals stupendously. “The paper cuts from the love letters you never gave him”. This dark female that the two speak of throughout the album, she’s mysterious and wondrous, yet ever deadly. The pair once said in an interview, the album culminated the dreams and fantasies of both of them.
Track #9: I Don’t Like You Anymore
This track starts off with a neon blast of a sonic beat, but is followed up with mesmerising vocals from Turner, and that in turn is garnished by explosive vocals from Kane. This woman, whoever she is, seems to be just as machiavellian as she is mysterious and ever deadly. This track reminds me of one of Kane’s Rascals’ tracks titled ‘Is It Too Late?’, is swings and sways from beat to beat, and the speed of the song stretches with the emotions that accompany the vocals from Kane and Turner.
Track #10: In My Room
If anyone can identify the opening of this track to anything other than the Bond title sequence please let me know. “Humour absorbs the thought... turning the tension round”. The fact that it’s similar is irrelevant; it’s a tight and tasty tune that offers sweet vocals, clever riffs; a distant organ and a beating heart of a rhythm.
Track #11: Meeting Place
As the album beings its ending, I feel the second half of the album hasn’t has the same affect on me as the first four or five tracks that exploded with energy. You know how you feel when you get a massive steak, every bite is worthwhile and every mouthful you get happier... or sort of. However, by the end of the meal, you feel bloated, unable to move and have the worst indigestion ever. Although this track does nicely round of the message of the record, it does carry on the theme of the ‘mysterious woman’, and bring it to a sensible close
Track #12: The Time Has Come Again
Personally I think this is quite a weak closer, On the other hand, it’s not a bad last effort, and be the end of the track, the ending starts to make sense. This mysterious woman is too good to be true that no matter how much you try to get away from her, you always find yourself going back and persuading her to take you back even if you are “hiding” from yourself.
Verdict
I agree with a lot of the critics views of this album, but feel some of them are mislead by the hype, I tried not to pay attention to most of it; I read the NME interview with Turner and Kane before they reviewed the album, and I read the review in Q before I sat down and had my first listen. I was impressed by the difference of the album, I don’t think it’s the sort of jam I’m usually interested in, but it sort of reminded me a bit of Sinatra and Martin, it has the fun and X factor of The Rat Pack, and the cheek and charm of the Everley Brothers; yet there’s something else, that can only be explained by its modern scope and appeal. Turner and Kane have incorporated some of their Trip Hop conventions as well as their favourite mid-song silences that are so effective.
I’m not going to be drawn in and say that it’s one of the best albums of the year, it’s clearly not. However, it’s definitely worth a listen one evening after work, and it’ll appeal to a definite wider audience that’ll also only benefit their day jobs. I admire the two for trying something different at least. Turner could have sat on his arse over the summer and new-year before working on the Monkeys’ third, but chose to spend it doing this. It’s almost like a kids hobby, like friends playing with each others’ trains sets and arguing over who’s got the faster diesel. It’s not great and not something I’ll be banging on every second of every day, but it’s a good album to dip in and out of over the next few months, and I’m quite looking forward to seeing them at Reading later this year.
7/10
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