The Last Shadow Puppets on DeBaser: reviews, strings, and swagger

The Profile

The Last Shadow Puppets are a British duo formed by Alex Turner and Miles Kane. They debuted with The Age of the Understatement (2008) and returned with Everything You've Come to Expect (2016), blending baroque/orchestral pop with indie rock. Their recordings feature string arrangements by Owen Pallett and production by James Ford.

Core members: Alex Turner and Miles Kane. Producer: James Ford. String arrangements: Owen Pallett. Styles cited in reviews include baroque pop, Morricone/spy-film influences, Beatlesque psychedelia, and Brit rock. Key releases: The Age of the Understatement (2008), Everything You've Come to Expect (2016), The Dream Synopsis EP (2016).

DeBaser’s reviews paint TLSP as a British duo blending baroque/orchestral pop with indie bite and cinematic flair. The 2008 debut is praised for Morricone/60s shades and string-laden swagger, though not by everyone. The 2016 follow-up shifts to subtler arrangements (Owen Pallett), James Ford’s polish, and standout singles like Aviation and Bad Habits. Overall, craftsmanship, melodies, and the Turner–Kane vocal blend earn frequent kudos.

Notable Quotes

❝ No fillers, a great display of craftsmanship by the now-trusted producer James Ford (of Simian Mobile Disco) and a perfect balance between the voices of the two protagonists magnificently complete the picture.

❝ Dreamy, intense, virile, and at times dark, "The Age of Understatement" is a record where our puppets seem to become aware of their personal and artistic maturation; and I add: it's an album that hits like a rapier in a contemporary English scene today perhaps very overrated, in some respects.

❝ The Puppets' pop manages to be unusual and at the same time titillating, while always keeping in mind that these are still 22-year-olds dealing with countless influences, often tending to overdo it.