The shortlist for the Mercury Music Prize, which will honor the album that is determined to be the best in the UK or Ireland over the last 12 months, was announced yesterday. The following artists and albums are under consideration:

Adele = 19
British Sea Power = Do You Like Rock Music?
Burial = Untrue
Elbow = The Seldom Seen Kid
Estelle = Shine
Laura Marling = Alas I Cannot Swim
Neon Neon = Stainless Style
Portico Quartet = Knee-Deep In The North Sea
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset = The Bairns
Radiohead = In Rainbows
The Last Shadow Puppets = Age of the Understatement
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss = Raising Sand

I think that the judges are going to have to wrestle with their decision, because there are quite a few quality albums on the shortlist.

Radiohead probably should win, but I don't think that they will due to the huge publicity that the In Rainbows album generated upon its release because of the ability for fans to download it at any price they wanted. Awarding the prize to Radiohead seems a bit too obvious. I would like to see Adele win since I really enjoyed her 19 album and the two live shows of hers that I had the opportunity to see in New York City this year. I don't believe that she will be the winner, however. I think that the prize is going to go to The Last Shadow Puppets, the side project of the Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner and Miles Kane of The Rascals.

Last year's Mercury Music Prize was won by Klaxons for their stellar Myths of the Near Future album.

There is more information about the Mercury Music Prize shortlist in an article from BBC News at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7519452.stm.

The BBC's Mercury Music Prize microsite at http://www.bbc.co.uk/musicevents/mercuryprize2008/ features video of the announcement of the shortlist for the prize.

The official site for the Mercury Music Prize, which is sponsored by Nationwide, is at http://www.nationwidemercurys.com/.

Alex Turner and Miles Kane have added extra shows in Wolverhampton, Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds  to their forthcoming Last Shadow Puppets tour. The full dates are as follows:

Portsmouth Guildhall (August 19)
Oxford New Theatre (20)
Paris Olympia (26)
Wolverhampton Civic Hall (October 11)
Manchester Apollo (12)
Leeds Academy (13)
Stockholm Circus (15)
Copenhagen Vega Main Hall (16)
Berlin Tempodrome (17)
Brussels Cirque Royale (19)
Amsterdam Paradiso (20)
Glasgow Academy (22)
Sheffield City Hall (23)
London Hammersmith Apollo (26)
Newcastle City Hall (27)
New York Grand Ballroom (30)
Los Angeles Mayan Theatre (November 3)

Check myspace.com/thelastshadowpuppets

Miles Kane's Other Band seems to be in a good place right now. The debut album, called (cringe) Rascalize, has popped up on iTunes (although from the looks of those little Popularity bars, no one's been buying it). Miles recently got that crucial shout-out in Nylon, which printed an article about the Puppets and also described his first band, Little Flames, as "underappreciated." Their Myspace photo album regularly get comments like "you guys are HOTT. and your music is awesommmmm." AND they've got a lucky 999 fans on their Facebook fan page.

COOL. For the record (ha! pun), MKOB's little name problem seems to be a recurring issue: on their official site, the page labeled "BLOG" is clearly not a blog, it is a bio...Oh wait, I'm joking, the title of that page is actually "BIOG." Which looks exactly like "blog."

Ok, this is really pissing me off.

mp3: "Bond Girl" - The Rascals

Ahí lo tienen: Rihanna no es sólo el guilty pleasure de los redactores de Rockdelux (junto al disco de Scarlett Johansson), sino también de Alex Turner y Miles Kane, también conocidos como The Last Shadow Puppets. Leo en You Ain't No Picasso que este incansable par han versionado 'S.O.S.', canción que no conozco pero dicen que es de Rihanna, así que habrá que hacerles caso. La versión de los Puppets, eso sí, me gusta bastante, así que por todo ello, aquí la tienen para descargar. De nada.

O duo lançou o seu debut album , The Age Of The Understatement, em Abril deste ano.

Falando para o The Guardian, Kane brincou que se a banda não estivesse indo tão bem, ele esperaria estar passando a sua aposentadoria da música velejando.

“Sim, talvez” disse Turner, quando questionado se a banda poderia durar 45 anos.

“Eu vou estar com 67 anos” adicionou Kane. “Igual o Paul McCartney. Ele parece estar bem. Se não, eu quero estar num iate”

Adicionando que Alex Turner fez uma apresentação surpresa na música ‘Is It Too Late?’ do Rascals no Wireless Festival ontem, que aconteceu no Hyde Park, em Londres.

Fonte: NME.com

Tradução: Murilo Portescheller (mUKa)

Amanha posto umas bandas novas, com downloads.

See You Later. Innovator

Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys) e Miles Kane (The Rascals) lançam no dia 7 de julho o segundo single do Last Shadow Puppets, projeto paralelo dos músicos. A banda foi formada este ano e lançou em abril o seu primeiro álbum, "The Age of Understatement", que atingiu o topo das paradas britânicas.

"Standing Next to Me" é a nova música de trabalho do grupo e já teve um clipe lançado há cerca de duas semanas. O interessante vídeo feito para a balada indie rock foi gravado em plano-seqüência. Começa com um aspecto minimalista e logo depois ganha cores e movimentos de câmera mais ousados.

Turner e Kane são amigos e já tinham trabalhado juntos antes. O vocalista do Rascals tocou guitarra em "505", a última faixa do segundo CD do Arctic Monkeys, "Favourite Worst Nightmare". Além disso, a banda em que Miles Turner tocava, The Little Flames, abriu para o grupo de Turner em alguns shows.

O disco de estréia do Last Shadow Puppets, foi gravado na França e em Londres no segundo semestre de 2007. Em dezembro, o violinista canadense Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy) foi convidado para compor os arranjos de cordas e percussão do álbum - gravados no mesmo mês com 22 membros da London Metropolitan Orchestra.

Hoje, o Last Shadow Puppets também anunciou uma turnê mundial, que começa no dia 19 de agosto em Portsmouth, na Inglaterra. A banda vai ser acompanhada por uma orquestra de 16 músicos e vai tocar nos festivais de Leeds e Reading (também na Inglaterra). Outras apresentações estão marcadas para França, Dinamarca, Alemanha, Bélgica, Holanda, Escócia e EUA.

Apesar de ambos participarem de bandas de sucesso, o entusiasmo dos músicos com o projeto paralelo é grande. Em entrevista ao tablóide britânico The Sun, Miles Kane disse revelou que devem começar a trabalhar em um segundo álbum do Last Shadow Puppets já no ano que vem, depois da turnê.

Os dois artistas devem se dedicar exclusivamente à banda, pelo menos nos próximos meses. Não há notícias sobre novas gravações do Arctic Monkeys de Alex Turner. Em entrevista à rádio da BBC, o guitarrista do Arctic Monkeys, Jamie Cook, disse que o grupo vai começar a escrever as canções do terceiro álbum em julho. O último disco do grupo foi lançado há mais de um ano, em abril de 2007, e o último show aconteceu no dia 15 de dezembro, na Escócia.

Miles, no entanto, faz questão de acalmar os fãs das duas bandas. Ele disse que, a longo prazo, ele e Alex Turner estão se concentrando nos seus projetos originais. O primeiro álbum do Rascals, "Rascalize", foi lançado há poucos dias, em 23 de junho, e tem shows agendados até agosto.

You know when you buy an album but you don't really give it much of a chance?

I did that with Age of the Understatement. I liked the title track so I bought the album, trusting in the genius that is Alex Turner's skill for writing absolute belters, but unfortunately none of the other tracks sounded like that so I sort of gave up on it.

Recently, I've been listening a bit more and I now really, really like it! There are a few tracks that stand out for me in particular. My second favourite is a song called My Mistakes Were Made For You. It sounds like if Arctic Monkeys covered Scott Walker, smooth and beautiful and classic.

My very favourite however, I have only just discovered. It sounds like a movie song. The last 30 seconds alone would make me rate it a 10/10, however, the rest of the song is just not quite up to that standard so I'd rate it a happy 8/10. The song is called Calm Like You and I've put it on this post so you can listen to it. If you like it then please buy the album and, unlike me, give it a chance. I now can't wait to see them at Leeds Festival in August.

Don't let me down boys!

Calm Like You Mp3.

Superstar duo The Last Shadow Puppets' 2nd single embraces what all duos of past have created, perfect pop singles.  Clocking in at only two minutes and twenty-one seconds, "Standing Next To Me" evokes vintage chorus lines and to-the-point lyrics.

The music video itself mirrors a time and period that The Last Shadow Puppets embrace so effortlessly that you might almost forget that this duo is from 2008 and not 1968.

MP3: “Standing Next To Me“
Website: http://www.theageoftheunderstatement.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thelastshadowpuppets
Purchase: The Age of Understatement
Label: Domino

E esses caras aí em cima formam o Moon Maan. "A Minneapolis-based rock band. The band's dark, soulful music is driven by slide guitar and augmented by theremin", como eles mesmo se descrevem. Se bem que acho eles bem parecidos com o Black Crowes, que também cabe nessa descrição acima, mas isso não vem ao caso. O que vem é que o Moon é liderado por Rick McCullom, que só foi aquele cara por trás dos riffs do Afghan Whigs, saudosa banda alternativa dos anos 90.

Se você conhece as bandas acima e ficou interessado em Moon Maan, ou também se não conhece nada, te convido agora, com o hino "Be Good To Me" no vídeo abaixo:

Baixe Be Good To Me em MP3 (com meus cumprimentos ao Felipe).

-----------------------------------

E para fechar, um vídeo hype dos bons. The Last Shadow Puppets, banda formada pelo Arcitc-Turner-Alex-Monkeys (?!) e seu comparsa Miles Kane do The Rascals. Tire suas próprias conclusões:

- Folk Dranouter is plotseling erg interessant geworden: de übercute dromer Adam Green komt!

 Ook fijn volk op Dranouter: Martha Wainwright - Tim Vanhamel (ook jummie, maar dat terzijde) - Balthazar - Arid - Arsenal - Laïs - ...

- Feest in het Park gaat een feestje worden.

- De nieuwe clip van Lenny Kravitz al gezien? Of die van Alphabeat (Ten thousand nights)? Kende je het liedje van Maroon 5 samen met Rihanna al? Volgens bronnen zou 'Fairytale' de nieuwe single van Sara Bareilles worden.
Nog wat meer: We Are Scientists, onbekend maar goed: BangBangBang! en ten slotte (we kunnen niet bezig blijven) Yeti.

- De echtgenoot van Amy Winehouse ziet het niet zitten dat Pete Doherty met zijn vrouw zou gaan trouwen. Als je weet dat die man in de gevangenis zit, kan je daar een luguber plaatje bij bedenken.

- Ze verkopen een gitaar van Jimi Hendrix die hij ooit in de fik stak!

- 96 % van de Britse jongeren (14-24 jaar) kopiëren hun muziek illegaal.

- Volgens de Engelse roddelpers heeft John Lydon Duffy aan het huilen gebracht. Tot Johns afgrijzen knuffelde Duffy hem plots op de Mojo Awards. John schold de zangeres uit, waarop zij huilend wegliep.

- Als je lid bent van de NME-site, kan je de debuutcd horen van The Rascals, de band van Miles Kane (je weet wel: The Last Shadow Puppets, het maatje van Alex Turner).

- Het reünieconcert van Led Zeppelin komt op dvd.

- Hoe maak je je klaar voor een optreden volgens Pete Doherty.

- Yes sir! Nick Cave heeft een boek geschreven over Dig, lazarus, dig (het liedje, niet het album).

- De titel van de nieuwe cd van Metallica is... Death Magnetic.

- De 13de is geweest, wat dus betekent dat er een nieuw liedje gereleaset is van The Cure! Zo gaat dat doorgaan tot september, wanneer het album uitkomt. Maar ik begrijp nog steeds niet dat dat niet op mijn verjaardag (17de ^^)  kan.

- Josh Homme op z'n aardigst (but not really):

Full story

Last Shadow Puppets - "Standing Next To Me"

Marcelo Fubah

One of my good friends from work told me a theory of his, about two weeks ago. He said that everyone over the age of 18 still think of themselves as being that age; like a mental checkpoint in time. He said that he regularly thinks of himself as 18 years old and is shocked when he realises that his friends are all getting older, and thus, so is he.

I told him that I didn’t believe such crap; that it was a load of baloney; that I am in fact capable of remembering what age I am at all times. It reminded me of all the times my dad has asked me how old I am.

So anyway, these two girls came into my restaurant earlier this week; sisters. We used to be close friends, when we were younger. I was around 15 at the time, as was one of the girls. Her sister was three years older than us.

There was a bit of tension when they came in. We acknowledged each other, said “Hi”. I thought it best to leave the room at that point, staying out of the restaurant and having a whale of a time in the bar playing with the coffee machine. I really love the coffee machine. I work in a bar and restaurant, by the way.

Now when I’m at work, I get a lot of thinking done – particularly when I’m at the coffee machine. Gotta love that coffee machine. However, the thinking I was doing that day was pretty lightweight; yet I managed to mess it up. I thought the older of my former friends must have been 21, since the younger one and I were three years younger than her and… hang on…

So maybe there is some credence to my friend’s theory. Maybe I have been proven wrong. I must say, it was a total head-fuck, and I still find it difficult to believe that I am 20 years old. Yet it’s not the first time my beliefs have been proven wrong, or at least mortally wounded. I mean, I’m a Catholic and God knows how many discrepancies have arisen from that seemingly minor detail conflicting with my everyday life. However, I’m thinking more along the lines of the time I had a big argument with my philosophy lecturer about how I could definitely tell, at all times, whether I was awake or dreaming. Bear in mind that I also told the same lecturer that I was a staunch, practicing Catholic.

I truly believed that I was able to tell between reality and what goes on when I sleep, yet over the past couple of days, I have had a few things sticking out in my memory that I cannot place. I know I have picked up this certain information from someone, or somewhere, yet I cannot think back to where I got it.

The first such memory is an in depth discussion about pedal notes in music. This is all well and good, but who the hell would ever talk about pedal notes in a conversation? Who would even care? Even I don’t care that much! I wouldn’t question this conversation normally, but I was trying to think how it came about, or where it led, and I cannot recall any details about the conversation other than that I was being a smarmy dick to whomever I was talking to, claiming to know every last detail about pedal notes and trying to give the impression that I was somewhat clued up about musical theory. I’m not.

The second memory is that someone, real or otherwise, said the following sentence to me: “The most famous portmanteau is the word ‘Prada’,” followed by a description of how Prada means “Practical/Fashionable” or something similar. Now, I’m less clued up about fashion than I am about musical theory*, but I swear I thought Prada was someone’s name. If only I didn’t spend so much time thinking at the coffee machine and could “Start Living In The Real World”. Someone should write a book about that.

*This sentence reminds me of Miles Kane, whom I want to kick in. He was quoted in Uncut magazine (which I bought for an underwhelming list of the 30 greatest David Bowie songs, evidently fabricated by said magazine) as saying: “Does the aspect of re-inventing yourself appeal? You should see me at the weekend. Eyeliner, the lot”. This, along with several other quotes which paint him as someone desperate for fame and not doing it very well, riding on Alex Turner’s rather short coat-tails and spouting a load of shit about how “amazing” he is, makes me hate him. Although I did like their cover of In The Heat Of The Morning.

Enough of that bollocks, I want to have an affair with the woman across the road from me. Yeah, you heard! I don’t particularly find her attractive. In fact, I don’t find her attractive at all. Sometimes, when she wears shorts and stands next to her dollhouse-like bungalow, she looks like a child’s doll. An ugly one at that. Even so, I couldn’t compete with her total catch of a husband. He has so many things I don’t have, like an open-top sports car and a rather fetching mullet. This isn’t why I want to have an affair with Pam. I say Pam, her name is really Jackie, but I only found that out last year. For the decade previous, I thought her name was Pam. So anyway, I don’t really want to have sex with Pam/Jackie. I don’t really want to break up her marriage to the total catch with the sports car and the dodgy-cum-enviable hair, I just think it would be funny for a little while.

But I am no longer the kid I used to be. I have learned to take responsibility over my actions; to show restraint and resist temptation; to think about the consequences further down the line than two hours away… Yet I can’t even remember what age I am half the time. I swear, I get more and more like my dad every day…

En blogg med en uttalad faiblesse för det briljanta kan inte ursäkta sig längre nu. Det måste skrivas ett inlägg om"The Last Shadow puppets" och deras debutplatta "The age of understatement" . Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys) och Miles Kane (The Rascals) sidoprojekt är nämligen just helt briljant. De båda kilarnas musikbegåvning – som till och med skulle blända en blind, döv och osedvanligt dum höna på väg till slakt – komprimeras tillsammans på den här svindlande skivan i spår som sveper mig av mina fötter och lämnar mig liggandes på golvet med den fasta övertygelsen att jag blivit överkörd av James Bond i Nicks röda Corvette. För det låter som lite som ett Bond-soundtrack ifrån 60 talet. Fast mycket bättre. Och i den lilla röda corvetten, det var inte jag säger jag ju Nick, sitter inte Sean Connery utan Alex Turner bakom ratten och bredvid honom Miles Kane med en Dry Martini. Outspädd, förfinad. Precis som deras gränslösa begåvning på den här skivan.

But this isn’t an Arctic Monkeys review. The Last Shadow Puppets is a collaboration between Turner and Miles Kane of Liverpool three-piece The Rascals. The two forged a strong friendship when Kane’s former outfit the Little Flames (no, me neither) toured with the Monkeys a few years back, and this project was clearly born of a mutual love of 60s pop, Bowie and classic singer-songwriters such as Scott Walker (circa early solo career), whose influence can be heard throughout The Age of the Understatement.

UK readers will have probably heard lead single The Age of the Understatement already. The track, which opens the album with a bang, is a cracking advertisement for The Last Shadow Puppets. Listening to its dramatic strings and galloping rhythm section you can’t help but think of riotous Westerns or the better James Bond films. Indeed, it would make a cracking Bond theme and the song’s video even has a Russian espionage theme to it.

Elsewhere, there are highlights aplenty. Standing Next To Me is a great take on orchestral 60s pop that would sit happily alongside anything from Walker’s 1969 classic Scott 4. Separate and Ever Deadly is more menacing, with military drums and plenty of emphatic pauses; think The Coral, but much, much better. The Time Has Come Again provides a surprisingly tender finale, easily eclipsing any of the slower numbers in the Monkeys' catalogue. It’s a simple enough song, with Turner’s reverb-laden vocal floating dreamily over a lush acoustic guitar and ambient strings, but it’s powerful stuff and arguably the album’s finest moment.

Its critics have suggested that this album is a futile exercise, the work of two men in their early twenties pulling out all the stops (a polished production job, lavish strings courtesy of the London Metropolitan Orchestra) to re-create the sound of an era they were never alive to experience in the first place. It’s a valid observation but I’m struggling to identify the problem with it. Besides, surely the same criticism could be levelled at any of the major players in the UK’s alarmingly congested (and incredibly dull) post-punk revival scene? Turner and Kane might not be riding the zeitgeist, but how many of today’s artists can confidently claim to be breaking new ground anyway? These two musicians have crafted a handful of great songs and set them to a rich, orchestral backdrop that doesn’t sound in the least bit tacky or pretentious. The Age of the Understatement might have been conceived as a tribute to a beloved era in music but thanks to the industry, enthusiasm and talent of Alex Turner and Miles Kane it’s become something much more interesting than that: a great record in its own right. (8/10)

Album review published on NORIPCORD.COM

O riot blog e sobre o Arctic Monkeys, mas também vai conter postagens de outros artistas.

Vocês provavelmente conhecem o The Last Shadow Puppets, o progeto paraleto de Alex Turner com Miles Kane. Pra quem não conheçe não sabe o que tá perdendo, os caras são muito bons

Aí tá o link de "The Age Of The Understatement" . (Tentei postar o vídeo direto, mas não consegui :/) Turner e Kane estão concorrendo a melhor música do ano com ela, pela revista Mojo

Alex Turner (De apenas 22 anos, diga-se de passagem) foi indicado a quatro prêmios Mojo: Artista Revelação, com Miles Kane e seu projeto The Last Shadow Puppets; Música do Ano, com ‘The Age Of The Understatement’.
Os Arctic Monkeys foram indicados a melhor disco por "Favourite worst nightmare" e melhor show na premiação organizada pela Mojo, revista mensal de música.

Outros artistas com várias indicações são a cantora de soul Duffy, por artista revelação, melhor disco ("Rockferry") e melhor música ("Mercy"). Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds concorrem a melhor disco ("Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!") e melhor música, com a canção que dá nome ao álbum.
"The very best of ethiopiques: Hypnotic grooves from the legendary series", que a Mojo chamou de "sensação musical mundial de 2007", foi indicada a melhor compilação do ano.
A banda de rock britânica Led Zeppelin também foi indicada a melhor show pela turnê que os reuniu em dezembro - milhões de fãs disputaram apenas alguns milhares de ingressos.
Os vencedores serão escolhidos pelo público por meio do site da revista e por especialistas de música. A premiação acontece em 16 de junho.

Cruzando os dedinhos para o Alex receber algum prêmio, seja pelos Monkeys ou pelo Puppets

Alle Welt (oder zumindest alle Bond-Fans) warten mit Spannung darauf, wer denn jetzt den Titelsong für den neuen anstehenden Streifen beisteuern wird und, beinahe zu zeitig um es als Zufall wahrzunehmen, erscheint The Age Of The Understatement.

Als hätten es Arctic Monkeys-Sänger Alex Turner und sein Kumpel Miles Kane (The Rascals) darauf abgesehen, klingt dieses Album wie eine Bewerbung.
Was man hier hört, könnte problemlos der Soundtrack zu 60er-affinen Medienprodukten wie No One Lives Forever oder Austin Powers sein. Auch die zielsichere Musikauswahl Tarantinos (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill), so mag man vermuten, wäre hier nicht ohne weiteres, ohne es zumindest mal in Erwägung zu ziehen, dran vorbei gekommen.
The Age Of The Understatement klingt im Grunde so, als hätten die Arctic Monkeys (das geht alleine auf Alex Turner`s Konto) den Soundtrack für die 60er so geschrieben, wie wir jungen Menschen uns die Zeit der Blumen vorstellen. Schnörkelloser Pop aus vergangenen Zeiten, der, so kann man vermuten, im anvisierten Zeitalter selbst nicht nur auf wohlwollende Ohren gestoßen wäre. Zu poppig und zu pompös wäre es damals wohl wahrgenommen worden. Doch das Pompöse ist synchron gesehen die Vermittlungsinstanz durch die Zeitalter und lässt sich eindeutig auf die Arbeit mit dem 22-köpfigen London Metropolitan Orchestra zurückführen. Ein Hauch von Ennio Morricone wird, ohne dabei großartig anzustoßen, über das gesamte Gebilde gelegt und macht die Platte zum potentiellen Soundtrack.
Also - wer weiss, vlt schafft es einer der Songs, z.B. der herausragende Titeltrack, den neuen Streifen „Quantum of Solace“ musikalisch zu untermalen. Bezweifelt werden darf das, wenn man den Weg bedenkt, den die Bondmaschine mit Danjel Craig eingeschlagen hat.

Es wäre aber auch nicht weiter tragisch. Dieser Langspieler hat das Potenzial seinem Namen alle Ehre zu machen und in einigen Playern auf Dauerrotation zu laufen. Übrigens auch, oder gerade, in denjenigen, die keinem eingefleischten Arctic Monkeys-Fan gehören.

www.theageoftheunderstatement.com
www.myspace.com/lastshadowpuppets

Text: Andreas Peters

Mas nada altera o fato de que The Age Of The Understatement, o primeiro single do álbum homônino do The Last Shadow Puppets, é uma das canções mais poderosas dos últimos tempos.

O Last Shadow é formado por Alex Turner (dos Arctic Monkeys) e Miles Kane (do The Rascals) e o projeto estava sendo aguardado há tempos, como todos já sabem.

Então, borae fazer o download das músicas e dizer o que vocês acharam?

We all love M.I.A.'s music (or at least should). From her debut, Galang, to her remix magnet, Paper Planes, almost everything she creates makes news. So, why stop at music? I can't think of a reason. Unfortunately, neither can she. That's why she's launching a new clothing line that includes bomber jackets, leggings and T-shirts through Trash Bag Aesthetics.

As a matter of fact, after hearing them described as, "bold bright hues on graphic prints," I can only begin to imagine what these pieces of clothing might look like. If you've survived looking at her website or myspace without getting an epileptic seizure, you may know first hand the extent of my concern. Fortunately, I and everyone else who's had to get their eyes checked, can rest assured in the fact that her shirts can't flash and/or blink. Oh god, did I just give her a new idea?

__________________________________________________________________

Last Shadow Puppets Release Album

Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner, partnered by Miles Kane of the Rascals, released a new album today (at least for those here in the States) under his new side project, The Last Shadow Puppets. They recorded Understatement with Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford producing and playing drums. You won't be able to put this album down until the 12 tracks have come to a complete stop. But do you need me to tell you that? Go on and have a listen for yourself.

MP3: "In the Heat of the Morning" DOWNLOAD

Single release date (digital): Monday 7th April (Download from iTunes: UK | USA)
Single release date: Monday 14th April
Album release date: Monday 21st April (USA: Tuesday 6th May)

Also, their first live gig will take place at a pair of rather "popular" festivals; those being of course, Leeds and Reading. They'll perform Friday in Leeds (Aug. 22) and Sunday in Reading (Aug. 24). This, much like the album, is a must hear. Kane also hinted that along with playing the full album they'll play "some new songs" as well. Hint, hint.

__________________________________________________________________

Pete Doherty Released From Prison

Albums aren't the only things being released on May 6th. As of 7:10 in the morning, you can add Pete Doherty to your "released" list after serving 29 days of his 14-week jail sentence at Wormwood Scrubs in London.

http://www.myspace.com/thelastshadowpuppets

I'm Not Sorry

Y en segundo lugar, The Last Shadow Puppets, el novísimo proyecto de los vocalistas y guitarristas de Arctic Monkeys y The Rascals, Alex Turner y Miles Kane. Parece que hayan salido de un agujero espacio-temporal. Me encanta el comienzo del tema. Es de lo más retro. Tiene una pintaza interesantísima este proyecto.

The Age of the Understatement

EDITO: Cuanto más escucho este último tema, más enganchado estoy con él. Es muy, muy, muy bueno. Y la estética del vídeo, brutal.

Britaniar irletan egiten den musika beti egoten da nire interesen artean, eta azkenaldian azaldu diren diska berrien artean, hurrengo hau gomendatzea gustatuko litzaidake. Arctic Monkeys taldeko Alex Turner eta The Rascals taldeko Miles Kane-k The Last Shadow Puppets taldea sortu dute, eta beraien lehen diska hau dagoeneko lehen postura iritsi da Erresuma Batuan.

Album hau osatzen duten kanten artean, diskari izena eman eta lehen single den "The age of the understatement" gailentzen da, baina bertan hainbat harribitxi aurki daitezke.

Kanten zerrenda:

01 The Age of the Understatement
02 Standing Next to Me
03 Calm Like You
04 Separate and Ever Deadly
05 The Chamber
06 Only the Truth
07 My Mistakes Were Made for You
08 Black Plant
09 I Don’t Like You Any More
10 In My Room
11 Meeting Place
12 The Time Has Come Again

Puntuaketa: 3/5

Hemen uzten dizuet singlelaren bideoa:

I have a standard test that I use to judge an album on its first hearing.  I play it in its entirety on my way to work.  Walking, waiting for trains and avoiding eye contact on the tube.  It needs to hold my attention away from the newspaper I'm reading, make me tap my toes waiting for the District Line and provide a soundtrack to my life as I walked hurriedly between stations.  So I was delighted that Alex Turner's latest musical conquest did just this.

As with most of my generation, I admire the Arctic Monkeys.  Their cocky persona and spot on lyrics relate to people of my age, and not wanting to use a cliché, they are a voice for a newly cynical generation.  A generation that's harder to please.  One that is a world apart from those gone, so it's interesting to see Alex Turner use inspiration from an era past.  The Age of the Understatement casts a figure out of early James Bond-esque scene setting, using strings to paint a picture of 60s and 70s elegance, matched against a poignant Sheffield accent.

But I mustn’t forget Turner's partner in the Shadow Puppets.  Miles Kane, of Rascals fame, met Turner when his former band, The Little Flames, were supporting the Monkeys during a 2005 tour.  The pair have played together ever since, with Kane playing guitar on the excellent closing song of Favourite Worst Nightmare, 505.  And it is obvious that they share a fondness for the same type of music, drawing inspiration from early Bowie and the sixties' artist, Scott Walker, who claims authorship on this form of "wall of sound", orchestral music.

There is a definite epic sound to this style of music.  Each song leaves a little of itself on the listener.  The opening title track The Age of the Understatement, is ambitious and impressive, booming up to big crescendo's of sound and stirring your desire to like this distinctive album.  Whereas the second track Standing Next To Me has a more recognisable Spanish guitar twang, making it forcibly impossible not to tap your feet (Note - this is said to be the next single from the album).  And it continues like this, each song slightly different to the previous one, but each lending itself to a warming mixture of Turner's lyrics and a imposing musical background.  I Don't Like You Anymore sounds the most like an Arctic Monkey's track, whereas Only The Truth has a haunting Adam & the Ants theme, leaving you half expecting Turner to scream "Prince Charmingggg...Prince Charmingggg...".  But even then it's likeable.

Veintidós años. Tres dentro de la industria musical. Y tres años consecutivos con disco número uno en la lista de Reino Unido. Alex Turner no sabe qué es dar un paso en falso. Y tardaremos en vérselo dar. The Age of the Understatement muestra que ideas no le faltan. Ni ambición, ni buenos amigos.

La alianza con Miles Kane (The Rascals, The Little Flames) para formar el dúo The Last Shadow Puppets produce un cambio de sonido que le abre las miras y le aleja de Arctic Monkeys. Algunos le consideraban un producto del nuevo milenio, que tomaba las guitarras de The Strokes y The Libertines y las letras del rap de The Streets, pero que no iba más allá. En buena medida gracias a Kane, ahora retrocede a los 60-70 y deja claro un nuevo abanico de influencias; las versiones de Bowie y Billy Fury apuntan por dónde van las cosas.

El resultado son canciones de tres minutos en la línea de lo que harían hoy unos The Coral más orquestales. Para ello han contado con otros dos colaboradores de gran nivel: Owen Pallet/Final Fantasy ha compuesto unos elegantes arreglos para cuerda y viento, mientras que James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco) se ha encargado de la producción.

Otro punto clave es la facilidad con que han compartido micrófono. Mezclan sus voces acoplándose de tal manera que el inconfundible timbre y acento de Turner no se despega de Kane. Dos voces muy personales que, bien a la vez o bien por turnos, se convierten en gemelas para cantar unas letras que muestran el desparpajo propio de dos post-adolescentes con una locuacidad, incontinencia y ambición únicas.

De momento no habrá giras para lo que se mantiene, todavía, como proyecto paralelo. The Rascals publican su debut este junio y ya han iniciado su gira veraniega, mientras que Arctic Monkeys no son capaces de esperar a entrar en el estudio de nuevo (llevan dos discos, dos EP’s, seis singles y un DVD desde 2005). Miles Kane además sacó tres singles con The Little Flames. No pueden parar de componer y grabar de forma compulsiva. Y que sigan. Las listas necesitan más números uno de tanta calidad.

Yesterday's Physics was strange. It wasn't difficultt, and that's why it's a little scary. Everyone will probably do reasonably well, which will push me down the curve. =(

The Age Of The Understatement

I've listened to The Last Shadow Puppets' The Age Of The Understatement a few times through now, and instead of a lengthy review, I'll just provide you with some quick impressions.

Let's see if I can describe it right. The album takes the Arctic Monkeys classic movie stylings and cranks up the notch into an Ennio Morricone-infused punk effort. At times swaggerring and wildly dramatic, and in other moments more low-key and arguably more resonant, this album seems to succeed precisely on that basis. In other words, I like that back-and-forth contrast very much, and it's what keeps this from becoming an indulgent mess, orchestra and all.

But no, I don't mean that in a way to say that it is an indulgent mess to a lesser degree. It's not. In fact, the arrangements are pretty fantastic, although albeit a little rough around the edges at times. Underneath the lavish Morriconesque arrangements is some of the most excellent writing that Alex Turner has put out. It's the broad representation of this partnership, really--Miles Kane represented by the sweeping retro arrangements rather reminiscent of the work of The Rascals, and Alex Turner by mature craftsmanship and lyrics quite like the second half of Favourite Worst Nightmare. This unique synergy finds its soul in its youthful buzz (you'll hear this in both of their individual acts) and wise maturity (and this you won't catch in either The Rascals or them Arctic Monkeys).

Oh, by the way, the result is simply spectacular. Imperfect, yes, but still spectacular.

Ballack On The Double

In random football news, Ballack scored a brace to keep Chelsea in the running for the title and it'll all go down to the wired. The score was 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, and it was a bit of a surprise that it was Carvalho who gave away the opportunity for the Manchester goal.

Also, Modric is apparently going to Tottenham. A bit unexpected on my part, but the more I think of it, the more he looks like a Spurs player.

Random

Black holes reveal more secrets. [via BBC News]

Restraining order. [via xkcd]

Getting started with Ruby On Rails. [via A List Apart]

Toshiba says, SSD demand to skyrocket by 2011. [via Ars Technica]

In which Martin could rethink his pastimes. [via Wondermark Lite.]

Coolest professor ever? [via Kotaku]

IGN reviews Grand Theft Auto IV. [via IGN]

New WordPress.com 'related articles' feature. [via WordPress] You should see this in action on a couple of my newer posts.

Cygnus without stars. [via APOD]

On the NP-complete problem. [via A Thousand Nerds]

Crtics. [via What The Duck]

d