Out 9 May
Seven months since he released his debut solo single Inhaler, Miles Kane is joining the current indie boom and releasing his first solo LP, Colour of the Trap. But this 24-year-old scouse likely lad is no new kid on the block, he already has a six- year career in the music industry under his belt.
Beginning as a guitarist in The Little Flames at 18, Kane paid his dues on the small circuit and he and his band mates soon became firm friends with fellow northerners, The Arctic Monkeys.
With Kane itching to show off his blossoming abilities as a frontman, the band split and Kane formed The Rascals with fellow Little Flames, Greg Mighall and Joe Edwards. Despite being championed by the likes of NME and having suitable hype around them, the band's debut album, Rascalize, wasn't the breakthrough album the band had hoped for.
Reviews were mixed at best and the album charted at #100 in the UK. But it was Kane's collaboration with Arctic Monkey's frontman, Alex Turner, in The Last Shadow Puppets that gave him the recognition and accolade that he developed a palette for.
While Kane insists the musical partnership was born organically out of the two friends jamming, there is no doubt that teaming up with perhaps the biggest frontman of the moment to get his name out there was a shrewd move.
The Age of The Understatement, the duos LP received critical acclaim, and was a musical feat in its own right according to critics and fans, winning them the Mojo breakthrough award and reaching number one in the UK album and singles charts.
With the leverage he needed gained and an indie revival on the horizon, timing was ripe for a debut from Kane and every move in his career to date seems to have led to this point, to a career where he doesn't have to strum guitar behind a frontwoman, or be the Ernie to anybodies Bert.
The album certainly ticks all the boxes before we even give it a listen, with Come Closer and Inhaler, it's had two singles go down nicely, although with little fuss, it has a collaboration with Noel Gallagher, production credits from Super Furry Animal, Gruff Rhys and has been previewed, appropriately, on tour with Beady Eye.
Kane himself has spruced up a bit too, pea coat's and winkle pickers compliment the Weller-Lennon-Gallagher cut nicely and moody promo shots make for pretty centrefolds in NME.
Kane's solo sound breaks no new ground for the 24-year-old whose influences can be seen clearly in his haircut, romanticising the sixties is evidently a favourite pastime of the 24-year-old.
The album opens with Kane's latest single, Come Closer, which sees a sultry Daisy Lowe dancing in an indie-flick like music video shot by David Johnson. The track is distinctively sixties and a classic example of pop-rock-n-roll.
Come Closer is followed by Rearrange, an equally poppy track with a mix of influences and styles, sixties, electro and unmistakably, Oasis.
Perhaps due to its classic rock n roll sound or perhaps because of its distinct lack of originality, Inhaler, by now, feels like it's been around forever. The track epitomises all of Kane's influences and was his first solo offering way back in November 2010.
Typical for its genre, lyrically the track (much like the rest of the album), is about very little. Kane admits shamelessly that the idea from the song came from the fact he always carries an inhaler for his asthma (yes, really).
Quicksand is a feel good sixties number with sweet female 'bad baa bop's' accompanying Kane's mellow vocal, 'la laa la's' and good vibrations.
Lyrically again, the song is lacking and this time it lets it down quite significantly, if Kane had perhaps spent more time developing as a writer (perhaps something that can only come with age?) this track could have been a real frontrunner on Colour of the trap. As it is, it's short-lived, abrupt and repetitive.
It is really impossible to predict which way Colour of the Trap will be received. With the likes of NME, Beady Eye and Noel Gallagher getting behind it from the off it's bound to win Kane a few fans and some commercial success, but whether or not genuine rock n roll fans will like the album, or indeed Kane, is unpredictable.
Some will undoubtedly see through Colour of the Trap as a soulless attempt of mimicry, others will take it on face value, as a good ol' fashioned rock n roll album, with sing-a-long lyrics and catchy hooks. And about time too.
Verdict: 4/5
FemaleFirst Antonia Charlesworth
Tagged in Miles Kane