The Last Shadow Puppets - Bad Habits

After seven long, quiet years, it seemed as though The Last Shadow Puppets were defeated; that the dream supergroup - consisting of Arctic Monkeys’ frontman Alex Turner and his ex-Rascals-turned-solo best mate Miles Kane - were never to return. However, storming back armed with ‘Bad Habits’ and the help of old producer James Ford, it seems that break was simply Turner handing over the reigns. Unlike the past, where the band seemed to follow whatever initiative Turner dreamed up, ‘Bad Habits’ is positively-plagued with Kane’s signature elements - short, sharp, rip-roaring vocals and arrogance that you couldn’t take home to your mother. Despite this drastic shift in positions, the band’s string-section is still as present as in their “final” 2008 single, ‘My Mistakes Were Made for You’. This powerful LP2 lead single embodies how the band have become sharper from the time spent apart. Although Turner takes the backing vocals and guitar, it’s not weakened by the lack of his frontman presence. Instead, he fills the track with saucy riffs and Northern charm from afar, letting Kane boast about everything he’s taught him. Lyrically, ‘Bad Habits’ thrives in short, sex-driven questions, buoyed by the upbeat instrumental tones that smother them. The seductive charm of the duo makes a regular appearance throughout, when Kane slurs “deep trouble”, however it’s sharply brought back round with the shout of “red lolly-POP” accompanied by a just as sharp scream. While news of the band’s return is clearly more than enough to excite thousands, ‘Bad Habits’ nails exactly where that universal excitement comes from, adding further anticipation to that enticing ‘Spring 2016’ date for LP2, and no-doubt prompting thousands to look into flights to Coachella to catch The Last Shadow Puppets live in action once more.