The Last Shadow Puppets, the collective collaboration between Miles Kane and Alex Turner, is gearing up for the release of a new EP, The Dream Synopsis, but is it smothered in one too many flecks of froth to land well? Stringing together a jumble of covers with reworked version of previously released songs, it all seems a bit cobbled together with cynicism, especially when you factor in the yuletide release plan for the EP.
However, on paper, it’s not without its positives, and we’ll have to wait until the season’s greetings roll in to hear it in it’s entirety to know for sure, but there are already enough negatives in what has made it out. The choice of covers, which take in Leonard Coen, The Fall and Jacques Dutronc, are pretty cool in themselves, but the initial music video release is enough to put even the most devout fan off a little.
Release
The Dream Synopsis EP has been announced with a release date of Friday the 2nd December 2016, conveniently-timed, maybe, to coincide with one of the year’s biggest gift giving and stocking filling period. It’ll be available on limited edition red vinyl 12”, CD and digital download.
Singles
Is This What You Wanted is the only track from The Dream Synopsis EP that’s out already and while the song itself isn’t without its merits, the video is almost enough to put you off your tea. Originally by Leonard Cohen, it’s a fairly solid cover, but the vid that goes along with it features a newly buff Alex Turner, wearing a vest in a bid to show off his pythons. It’s like he’s channeling Ted Dibiase, Jake The Snake Roberts, The Honkey Tonk Man and Rick Rude.
Sometimes, you just can’t unsee what you’ve seen. However, don’t take our word for it; check out the music video for yourself and let us know what you think. We’ll review any profanity on a case-by-case basis (c-bombs will get preferential treatment), but if we don’t hear from you we’ll interpret the silence as a profound protest against silly arms in general.
The Dream Synopsis music video:
The Dream Synopsis EP tracklist:
1. Aviation
2. Les Cactus – original by Jacques Dutronc
3. Totally Wired – original by The Fall
4. This Is Your Life – original by Glaxo Babies
5. Is This What You Wanted – original by Leonard Cohen
6. The Dream Synopsis
First impressions
If you polarise the debate, there are two ways of looking at the prospect of The Dream Synopsis EP release: You can either look at the musical content alone and see the positives or you can get hung up on the vapidity of the video for Is This What You Wanted and fall into despair for the future of music. We’re somewhere between the two, which doesn’t put us on the fence as much as it sees us flicking either side, a bit like the appreciation equivalent of quantum entanglement. The end result is going to be decent enough, maybe even cool in its own right, but we’ll never be able to stop inwardly groaning at that vest in the video.
