Alex Turner: outpacing Dylan?

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“I'm not sure what readers' stance is on trendy scallywags The Arctic Monkeys, but I find myself somewhat surprisingly commending Monkeys main man Alex Turner's Mercury Prize short-listed side project, The Last Shadow Puppets.

“Turner's way with a word recently led to him rubbing shoulders with such esteemed writers as Cohen, Joni and Dylan himself in the Guardian's Great Lyricists booklet series, and it is a combination of his sharp lyrics and the impeccable classic ‘60s sound textures on the Shadow Puppets' "Age of the Understatement" LP which has set my pulse racing these last few weeks.

“Indeed, perusing the sharp and spiky lyrical twists and turns made me wonder when Dylan, famously held up as the world's greatest lyricist, was able to conjure up such original and poetic word play - not in recent times, I fear.

“This, from the opening title track, is offered as an appetiser for those who might dare to explore further:

"’She's playful/ the boring would warn you/ be careful of her brigade/ in order to tame this relentless marauder/ move away from the parade.

“’She was walking on the tables/ in the glasshouse/ endearingly bedraggled in the wind/ subtle in her method of seduction/ twenty little tragedies begin’."



All lyrics quoted are used for the purpose of criticism or review.
The Last Shadow Puppets, by Alex Turner and Miles Kane, published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd/Deltasonic Music Ltd, Copyright © and (p) Domino Recording Co Ltd 2008.