Miles Kane probably wishes he’d never mentioned the fact that Noel Gallagher appears on his debut solo album. Perhaps he underestimated the huge media storm it would trigger and the distraction it would cause in the build up to what is a very important album for him. Anyone that has heard ‘Colour Of The Trap‘ will know by now that Gallagher’s appearance is a treat but by no means overshadows the breadth of top drawer songwriting that is peppered all over this impressive debut.
Miles should be at least 40 years old by now, at least most people who have been in three bands and now venturing on a solo career would be. Not Miles, he just moves on to the next project without hanging about. It is this sort of drive that we see in the likes of Paul Weller and bodes well for a man who is clearly hungry for success. The Little Flames, The Rascals, The Last Shadow Puppets and now a solo artist – not bad for a 25 year old.
This is why Miles is one of the most exciting songwriting talents in British music; the fact he has achieved all this at such a young age and still has so much more to give. His success in previous bands The Little Flames and The Rascals may have been limited but it was teaming up with the Arctic Monkeys‘ frontman Alex Turner that saw the fruits of his labour finally come good. Miles is said to have been a little upset about criticism regarding his level of artistic input into to The Last Shadow Puppets album, so it’s unsurprising he has put every drop of blood, sweat and tears into his solo record to show people that he is worth his weight in gold.
What were we to expect from his solo album? A return to his roots akin to The Little Flames? A similar sound to The Rascals, or a development of what was achieved with Alex in the Last Shadow Puppets? Well, the result is a cocktail of them all. ‘Inhaler‘ was our first taste of Miles’ solo record back in November – three glorious minutes of good old fashioned garage rock, led by a huge fuzzy riff, throat ripping vocal and a punch-in-the-air chorus. It may borrow quite heavily from Bonniwell Music Machine‘s ‘Mother Nature Father Earth‘, but Miles puts his own spin on it, which is the difference between simply ripping something off and doing something forward thinking with it. The track is one of the more heavier moments on the album yet it still shares much in common with the other songs which are all great pop records that clock in at about three minutes, perhaps a statement of intent for the album.
Miles’ influences on this record are not very difficult to cipher. Lennon, McCartney, glam rock and even a bit of The Beach Boys are all clearly evident in his songwriting. ‘Better Left Invisible‘ boasts shrieking guitars reminiscent of Lennon’s post-Beatles work, as does the guitar solo in the irresistibly menacing shuffling beat of ‘Come Closer‘.
‘Rearrange‘ sounds like some forgotten tune from the Sixties that has been unearthed from a box of mod vinyls. It also has another huge chorus, a skill that Miles seems to hone on this album; “You rearrange my mind” might just be his festival singalong. Despite the obvious reference points on the album, he hasn’t lost his identity and does still revisit sounds which can be heard in The Rascals of an albeit darker and peculiar nature.
‘Kingcrawler‘ could have easily gone on a Rascals album and shares more in common with The Coral than Lennon. He also hasn’t lost his knack of somehow accidentally writing songs which would be absolutely perfect soundtracks to a Bond movie. ‘Happenstance‘ fits the criteria on all accounts; it’s sexy, menacing, dark, and uplifting. ‘Telepathy‘ and ‘Come Closer‘ would also be great choices – are you taking note Daniel Craig?
Even the coolest guys in rock n’ roll aren’t afraid to show off their softer sides. Lennon’s solo work was extremely confessional and smashed open the window to his soul. Miles is no exception. “Once I thought that I was over you, now you’re back and I’m falling like a fool”, he sings on ‘My Fantasy‘, the closest thing to a ballad on the album which features a dreamy chorus blessed with a falsetto backing vocal provided by none other than Noel Gallagher.
‘Colour Of The Trap‘ and ‘Take The Night From Me‘ also veer toward ballad territory, both containing some of the most emotive vocals on the record, showcasing Miles’ range and ability to pull on those heart strings. There isn’t one weak track on the album. Quality control was clearly an objective for Miles, although the order of the tracklisting is questionable. The first three tracks are three of the strongest – ‘Come Closer’, ‘Rearrange’ and ‘My Fantasy’, leaving the rest of the album with quite alot to live up to.
Miles absolutely nails the rockers. ‘Inhaler’, ‘Come Closer’ and ‘Better Left Invisible’ are going to blow people’s heads off. Long term fans will appreciate the familiarity in his guitar playing style that echoes The Rascals, yet he may also win over a new fan base with his influences becoming the forefront in his solo sound. There are flashes of brilliance and a mellow direction that compliments his voice. Less an outstanding success and more a preview of greater things to come, this record shows what Miles is capable of on his own and suggests that a classic album is not far off.
(Matt Humphrey)
