Miles Kane - Colour of the Trap



Watch out, Beady Eye. Miles Kane is on a quest for 2011's retro crown.

Following a hugely successful stint in The Last Shadow Puppets, in a summer where retropop was all the rage thanks to the likes of Mark Ronson, Duffy and Amy Winehouse, there is a slight risk of the former Rascals frontman becoming Britain's next typecast 60s revivalist - but thanks to this year's "Different Gear, Still Speeding", that thorned crown might just be out of reach. With help from the likes of Noel Gallagher, Gruff Rhys and former band-mate Alex Turner, 'Colour of the Trap' is a little bit more than pastiche.

Opener 'Come Closer' starts as Kane means to continue: with a stomping one-two drumbeat and cries of "ahh"s and "whoa"s battling for attention - the production pretty impressive (although this is to be expected from Dan Carey, behind work of CSS, Hot Chip and The Kills) and the tune catchy enough to rattle a few cages. 'Rearrange' throws out some singalong choruses with a quirky riff to match it; a dazzling burst of sunshine that, fitting choice for lead single, should find its way onto many summer playlists. Kane then adopts pop-balladry in 'My Fantasy' with cute lyrics and a pretty nice tune; his voice suddenly developing a slightly croaky tone; but it could do with something a little more distinctive.


The thickest slice of nostalgia is in 'Counting Down the Days', where suntinted tunes and instrumentation provide an almost soul backdrop to lyrics of smoke & mirrors and other such clichés - but the tune saves it. A slightly Stone Roses psychedelic vibe is seen in 'Happenstance' whilst Kane duets with French model (and Fleur Delacour in the Harry Potter films) Clémence Poésy about curves in necks and keys to chests. There's then a touch of the Banana Splits about 'Quicksand', an immediately catchy and chirpy track that's screaming for single status.

'Inhaler' reminds me a little bit of Bloc Party's Positive Tension with its beat and heavy guitar riffs but is a little less subversive than Kele's outfit. Slightly stripped of any sex by its possible allusion to the essential asthma equipment, it's a pretty direct "yeah yeah yeah!" track. The gimmick to 'Kingcrawler' is the "ay-ay-ay"s that actually begin to slightly grate on me, but that's probably just a personal thing. A cute, slow rhythm to 'Take the Night From Me' is pleasant but not earth-shatteringly beautiful.

The eagerly anticipated Puppets reunion is seen in 'Telepathy' - which is only really going to 'wow' anyone deeply rooted in their fanbase (see: happy with anything). Rich guitar licks are spat in 'Better Left Invisible', but is let down lyrically (walking ropes, 'things we never said' and heaviness of the chest are but three pretty repetitive references). Final track 'Colour of the Trap' revives some of the better moments on the album - rock and roll pastiches and pretty cute balladry that wouldn't have done too badly as the last song of a '63 Prom.


There's a lingering sense though throughout the album of "when's this going to kick off?" Those who enjoyed the raucousness of The Last Shadow Puppets might be a touch disappointed with this - because, whilst there is plenty in the way of pleasant retro pop, there's a noticeable lack of kick. Still, there are a handful of nice stand-out tracks.

Rating: 6.5/10
Highlights: Quicksand, Colour of the Trap, Rearrange, Happenstance
Avoid: Telepathy, Kingcrawler
Artwork Watch: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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