Alex Turner’s The Last Shadow Puppets sidekick is flying solo yet again, and has now unveiled his new track ‘Loaded’, which is loaded (no pun intended) with guitar riffs and strong, husky vocals. Well, that’s probably just what you expected of exactly what is expected of Merseyside’s Miles Kane, isn’t it? As 2016’s psych-laced thumper ‘Bad Habits’ proved, he’s come a long way since the scratchy of The Rascals.
This latest single precedes the release of his new album ‘Coup de Grace’, which is his third solo effort. It’s immediately distinguishable from his keyboard-laden work with Turner (the Puppets are on hiatus at the moment while Alex goes off to release ‘Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino’, his sixth album with the beloved Arctic Monkeys). ‘Loaded’ is also different from some of his previous singles: for the moment, gone are the days when Miles Kane releases upbeat indie music. The time has come for him to slow the tempo down and create an almost melancholy atmosphere. When compared with his previous releases ‘Rearrange’ and ‘Better Than That’, this seems like it might turn into an emotional ballad of some sort. Crooner Kane’s vocal cuts through the piano melody and the beat and his voice gives the song that much-needed edge; subtle keys plink away in the background as he purrs his way through the verse. Then the chorus unfolds with the buzz of guitars as his voice moves into a snarl. “My baby’s always threatening to leave,” he hisses, the guitar howling back at him.
When that riff intervenes in the song, the track goes from an everyday indie rock song to a Miles Kane song. It’s all there in the menace, the swagger, the give-a-fuck attitude that has characterised his solo work. Perhaps imbued with the success of the Puppets, Miles is hitting stride. If ‘Loaded’ is anything to go by, ‘Coup De Grace’ will introduce an even more confident and freewheelin’ Kane.
Words: Sophie Marsh