''Change the Show'' is the fourth studio album by English musician
Miles Kane
Miles Peter Kane (born 17 March 1986) is an English musician, best known as a solo artist and the co-frontman of the Last Shadow Puppets. He was also the former frontman of the Rascals, before the band announced their break-up in August 2009. ...
, released on 21 January 2022 through
BMG Rights Management.
Background and recording
Kane had initially finished recording the album in early 2021, but decided to re-record it after an "impromptu collaboration" with Oscar Robertson and Dave Bardon of
Sunglasses for Jaws,
which made it "a lot less structured".
The resulting album takes inspiration from the "'60s and '70s sounds of
Motown and
Northern Soul".
Critical reception
Emma Harrison of ''
Clash'' rated the album 8 out of 10 and called it Kane's "most well-rounded album to date", "a deft fusion of genres" and "a deep dive into his musings on life, love and everything in-between".
Elisa Cloughton of ''
Gigwise'' gave ''Change the Show'' 8 out of 10 stars, finding it to be a "showcase of what Kane is capable of creating"—a fusion of "Motown and Northern Soul with his usual indie rock sound, which wouldn't necessarily be thought of as a compatible grouping but, boy, does it work".
Matt Collar of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
described ''Change the Show'' as "a fizzy mix of vintage-inspired anthems" that "are über-catchy and it's a testament to Kane's decade-mashing skills that, while certainly throwback in aesthetic, the songs never feel dated or overly nostalgic" because of his "good-humored punk swagger and wry sense of humor".
Writing for ''
American Songwriter
''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
History
The ''American Songwri ...
'', Lee Zimmerman deemed Kane a "true pop savant, an artist whose dedication to form is echoed in every note of his impressive new album", calling the "energy and exuberance" he found after working with Sunglasses for Jaws "palpable with each of these offerings. That vigor and vitality surge with these songs, giving Kane a powerful presence".
Reviewing the album for ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'', Sophie Williams summarised the album as containing "ruminative, lightly experimental songs that seem to be searching for answers", and giving the album three stars out of five, called it a "solid but unchallenging album
hat takesa step towards nowhere in particular".
Elvis Thirlwell of ''
DIY
"Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and sem ...
'' also awarded it three out of five stars, pointing out that the "blanketing lime-lit production" and "in-your-face '60s nostalgia
..may be too cloying for some".
Track listing
Charts
References
{{reflist
2022 albums
BMG Rights Management albums
Miles Kane albums