Leo won his Oscar. We're witnessing one of the worst presidential candidacy races in history. UNC made it to the final four.
But politics and basketball aside, we're also bearing witness to an exciting time for new music. After eight years, Arctic Monkeys' frontman, Alex Turner, and former frontman of the Rascals/solo artist Miles Kane finally churned out the long overdue second album of their collaborative side project--Everything You've Come to Expect by The Last Shadow Puppets was released on April 1st, 2016.
Is it really everything we've come to expect, however? Eight years is an extremely long time to wait for a new project from any band--however, it's not like Turner and Kane were just sitting around, twiddling their thumbs. Since the 2008 release of The Age of the Understatement, Turner has been busy with the Arctic Monkeys, releasing three full length albums (Humbug in 2010, Suck it and See in 2011, and AM in 2013), as well as touring the U.S. and Europe extensively with the band. Kane left the Rascals as a result of their break up in 2009 and pursued a solo career, releasing The Colour of the Trap in 2011 and Don't Forget Who You Are in 2013. Turner and Kane themselves, as well as many other insiders, had hinted at the possibility of a new album for what seemed like forever, and the two best friends kept up their strange bromance through many a TV interview and Instagram post while rumors of LP2 seemed to be the opposite of urgent. 2008 was an odd time for Turner to randomly produce a side project, as Arctic Monkeys fame and success was growing with the anticipation of a career-solidifying third album. But the Last Shadow Puppets were wildly successful, leaving adoring fans desperate for more. Now, after three Arctic Monkeys albums, it seems time the foursome took a break--a perfect opportunity for The Last Shadow Puppets to take to the stage once more.
The Age of the Understatement was a tough act to follow. The album is, simply put, epic--one critic said of the debut, "equal parts 007-intrigue and spaghetti western-histronics, this is music at it's most cinematic." And how does EYCTE measure up? The album is full of hyperbolic piano riffs, provocative lyrics ("Ain't got anything to lick without you baby," sings Turner on Sweet Dreams, TN), and hypnotic choruses. It's the kind of music that makes you want to run across a beach in slow motion into your lover's arms. Both Turner and Kane's formidable lyricism and musical finesse combine to create an album as groovy and smooth as its cover art--golden, sexy, and, yes, cinematic. "60's string"-esque arrangements by Owen Pallet seem to fill the room upon every listen, and Turner's nuanced lyrics evoke many a suggestive image. After the sophisticated and yet relatively boring AM, EYCTE shows us how far Turner has come since his awkward, punkish teenage days when the Monkeys released their brilliant debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. Kane, too, proves his musical brilliance on this sun-soaked album as both songwriter and instrumentalist.
In conclusion, Turner and Kane, girl-crazy hopeless romantics, opt for the clean-cut glamour of big band sound while delivering vexing lyrics on the second LP of their brainchild of a music group. The Last Shadow Puppets is one of those under the radar bands that'll just make you feel cool when you listen to them.
Highlights: Miracle Aligner, Everything You've Come to Expect, The Bourne Identity
