By Miles Kane and Alex Turner’s supergroup The Last Shadow Puppets are back with an eclectic mix of covers and rerecording’s, culminating in the unique and eccentric ‘The Dream Synopsis EP’. Whilst it would have been nice to see reimagining’s of some songs from the first TLSP album, the differences in the songs are still noticeable despite their subtlety. They also impact the overall atmosphere of the album – building the rapport between Kane, Turner and the rest of the team with quips and askew guitar strums throughout. The reimagining’s of Aviation and The Dream Synopsis from Everything You’ve Come To Expect demonstrates the energy and experiences the pair acquired throughout the tour that supported the album’s release and deserves a place on the cover-heavy EP.
The opener is the aforementioned alternative version of Aviation, and the quips the duo send to each other both before and after the track harkens back to old school Arctic Monkeys. Whilst most of the hype surrounding the EP has been for the covers, the subtle amendments to guitar parts and vocals are noticeably different yet the track remains similar enough to evoke nostalgic feelings for long time fans of TLSP with a slicker melodic approach reminiscent of The Age Of The Understatement.
Following Aviation is the slightly obscure cover of the Jacques Dutronc’s 1967 song Les Cactus. Kane and Turner take turns in a karaoke-esque performance that sounds like it was a load of fun to record, and listening to it you can tell. The accompanying video, featuring questionable dancing from Alex that he’s almost become synonymous with, further emphasises the entertaining and exciting nature of the track. The confused yet elated face Miles Kane pulls at the end of the video replicates my reaction after first hearing the track, yet after repeated listening it’s definitely one of the strongest and most enjoyable tracks from the EP. The accompanying orchestral elements blend seamlessly with Kane’s riffs and TLSP retain their edgier alternative side but also their eccentric and inimitable style.
Totally Wired is the next cover, originally a 1980s hit for the post-punk band The Fall. It allows TLSP to release a boundless amount of energy in a faster paced, more emphatic track. This was a favourite of many when they performed this on their summer tour and it’s not hard to see why. The song crosses many of the styles The Last Shadow Puppets have dabbled in before and is clearly a track they can unleash a ferocity that many of their previous tracks lack.
The Glaxo Babies ‘This Is Your Life’ is the next song to get The Last Shadow Puppets treatment, twisting it into a nightmarish adrenaline fuelled adventure. Miles Kane’s distinctive vocal ability is prominent throughout, snarling lyrics and barking sounds supported by a medley of soft piano chords and harsher guitar licks and pulsing drums. It doesn’t hide the dark nature of the song, yet TLSP do just enough to make it theirs and seem less of a cover, more an homage.
Next is possibly the most talked about song on the EP, The Last Shadow Puppets cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Is This What You Wanted’. Turner retakes over the microphone to place a calmer tone after Miles, and sing in his seductive yet innocent tone. Despite being released before the tragic passing of Cohen it acts as a perfect tribute to the man, retaining what made the song iconic but giving it a modern update and a slicker professionalism. The highlight here is undoubtedly Alex Turner, as his raspy voice transcends notes and really shows his adaptability and capacity to sing in a multitude of different ways. It epitomises the whole nature of The Dream Synopsis EP, being able to take classics and more obscure titles and give them a TLSP treatment – whilst making them their own they still act as tributes to the original creators. Again the orchestral undertones are able to take Is This What You Wanted to new heights and create a complex dynamic arrangement.
Closing The Dream Synopsis EP is the title track – The Dream Synopsis. As Turner whispers the lyrics with his iconic vocals the emphasis is on the lyrics and Turner’s incredible song-writing ability. It’s a slower affair than most of the EP and from the original track. It almost signifies an end to the Everything You’ve Come To Expect era and leaves fans excited for whatever lies next in The Last Shadow Puppets saga. With rumours of an Arctic Monkeys reunion circulating almost daily it poses the question of what is next for TLSP, but if they are able to capture the same charm they created this time around it can only mean good things. Just don’t leave it eight years this time ey lads?
The fact the whole EP was recorded in a day is noticeable, not with the quality of the tracks but the way Turner and Kane encompass you and make you feel like you’re in the recording booth with them. Whether it’s through unnoticeable song changes or retorts between songs it feels more and more like an experience as the EP progresses. Ultimately, it’s an EP for fans to relish and for The Last Shadow Puppets to play some songs that clearly impacted both Alex Turner and Miles Kane for various reasons whilst displaying their adaptability to smash a variety of musical styles and genres. The covers proved to be a successful on the road and they lose little of the unique magic when recorded, inviting fans who missed the live shows to experience them and for those lucky enough to see it live relive those memories.
