The Last Shadow Puppets - Everything You've Come To Expect

You know The Last Shadow Puppets: Alex Turner, roadman-turned-crooner frontman of Arctic Monkeys, and his Liverpudlian sidekick Miles Kane. On Everything You’ve Come to Expect, their first release in eight years, the duo have all but ditched the shimmering grandiose of their early material, in favour of a stickier, sleazier approach. A side effect of kicking it with Josh Homme, perhaps. “Just let me know when you want your socks knocking off”, Turner sizzles on The Element Of Surprise, more creepy uncle at a wedding than hotshot superstar. But the same song boasts some of his most sophisticated lyrics yet. The same goes for the bursting Sweet Dreams, TN and silky closer The Dream Synopsis, both reminiscent of Suck It and See’s woozy melodies. Die-hard fans might clock hints of No. 1 Party Anthem in the latter too. And this theme runs throughout – if you expected an album like Bad Habits’ punchiness then be wary of disappointment. Kane takes a back foot on the vocal duties allowing a more romantic, cinematic feel to run through Everything… A natural progression for the two boys in leather who seem to be edging their way towards maturity, albeit kicking and screaming as they do so.

7/10