Gemma Cockrell
Miles Kane is back with his fourth solo album ‘Change The Show’ – his first project since 2018’s ‘Coup De Grace’. Gemma Cockrell shares her thoughts.
Kane has described the album’s lyrical content as “an observation on ageing”, and he addresses this concept directly on the track Coming Of Age, which appears in the second half of the record. It acknowledges the feelings of hesitation that often come alongside the transition period as you enter a new stage in life – in this case, his awareness that he has developed a newfound sense of maturity. However, the mellow and relaxed tone of the track also hints that, for the most part, he is comfortable within this. Kane reflects on the past here, with the lyric “I sue myself for damages for the mistakes I made” signifying his relief that he is no longer making the same mistakes that he did in his youth.
Instead of focusing entirely on the feelings of uncertainty, fear and negativity that often accompany conversations about growing older, Kane repeatedly manages to make ageing actually seem … well, fun. The upbeat track Never Get Tired Of Dancing is a prime example of this. Kane manages to retain his youthful energy here, showing that even if you’ve grown up and matured, there’s always a time and a place for a boogie. The title track Change The Show, whilst it was simply written as an anthem for turning the news over when it becomes too depressing, may be masking a more complex metaphor for the fact that Kane is unafraid to accept his new mindset and the stage of life that he has entered.
The pair execute the art of bringing out the best in each other
A highlight of the album Nothing’s Ever Gonna Be Good Enough, a duet with Kane’s long-time friend Corinne Bailey Rae, who has provided backing vocals for him in the past. Nowadays in the music industry, it’s somewhat rare for a collaboration between two artists to feel authentic. More often than not, the featured artist simply contributes a verse, feeling more like an easy cash grab than a well thought out and cleverly crafted song. However, the pair execute the art of bringing out the best in each other, and it is a true duet, brimming with genuine chemistry and the feeling that the two vocalists have a natural, unforced connection.
He isn’t afraid to use his music to express his love and admiration for the artists which have shaped his musical palette over the years
‘Change The Show’ sees Kane embracing his groovy, Northern soul, Motown influences more than ever before in his solo work. He has flirted with these sounds in the past, particularly within the music of his collaborative project with Alex Turner, The Last Shadow Puppets, but ‘Change The Show’ sees him completely embody them like never before. Kane has never been shy of wearing these influences on his sleeve, and he isn’t afraid to use his music to express his love and admiration for the artists which have shaped his musical palette over the years. Sure, the in-your-face nature of this may prove too much for some, but ‘Change The Show’ is clearly the work of an artist who is enjoying doing what he does to the maximum. And when this is the case, as the listener, you can’t help but enjoy it too.
Gemma Cockrell
Featured image courtesy of Alex Watkin. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article image courtesy of @mileskane via @instagram.com. No changes were made to this image.
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