The First of the Last

While most people who enjoy the Arctic Monkeys or follow any of the British media hype will have heard The Last Shadow Puppets months ago, The Age of the Understatement is still deserving of a late comment. The album is really an enjoyable listen, and the lineup is killer: Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys, James Ford from Simian Mobile Disco, Miles Kane from The Little Flames/Rascals, and Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy. Every song on the album is short and likeable, combining the edginess of the Arctic Monkeys with amazing string accompaniments from the London Metropolitan Orchestra.

Many of the tracks are similar in style, but there are some deviations that catch your ear such as the softer, poppy "The Meeting Place" and the tension-building "I Don't Like You Anymore". There is a lot of edgy excitement with driving basslines in "Only the Truth" and "In My Room", and an excellent contrast of energy and tension in "Black Plant".

The Age of the Understatement - The title track sounds distinctly like "Knights Of Cydonia" by Muse (playable on Guitar Hero), very catchy.

My Mistakes Were Made For You - A laid back song about "innocence and arrogance entwined." The strings remind me of James Bond.