Miles Kane – ‘One Man Band’ album review: indie anthems that feel like coming home
Gracing our ears once again with the highly-anticipated One Man Band, Miles Kane has returned and finally arrived with a record that feels more intrinsically him than ever before.
One Man Band sees a return to Kane’s signature guitar-infused energy, with big hooks and classic indie bangers. The record feels like everything Kane has been building up to – it’s urgent, and it’s sharp, with all of the charm of his previous albums but with an added flavour of home.
But that’s not all that there is to the record; it’s also deeply personal. Kane returned to his home city of Liverpool to write the album, embracing his roots and family head-on to uncover all of the reasons he fell in love with music in the first place.
The first single, ‘Troubled Son’, provides a glimpse into all of that. Its energy seems to be a place for festival stages, with lyrics born to be yelled, complete with a captivating Strokes-esque riffing. “It’s about the struggle we all have in life,” Kane explains. “Sometimes we have our shit together, and sometimes we don’t. This is me acknowledging my faults and my fears and showing the journey I’m taking as I try to figure it all out”.
‘One Man Band’ follows a similar trajectory – Kane’s familiar guitar sounds stand out as he delivers a more focused vocal, driven by the rhythm and its catchy chorus. It’s a much-welcomed departure from the usual anger-underpinned indie anthems, however, as Kane offers to comfort his muse: “Let me sing about the brighter days / And keep the darkness from your door”.
Speaking of festival stages, ‘The Wonder’ is another track that will undoubtedly be chanted in the chaos of a large crowd. Its urgency is stated right from the start with the charmed words, “I wanna feel the wonder of you”. Lyrically, Kane is at his best. Peeling back the anthemic layer, the story speaks for itself: “You could drown me in those eyes, it was paradise / Summer comes, replay the scenes, frequently deceives / Rose-tinted fantasies deep inside of me”.
Paying homage to his hero, ‘Baggio’ is a sentimental peak inside the footballer’s influence on Kane, including his presence in the singer’s life when he “was feeling lost and low”. “I was eight years old when I first saw Baggio on TV, it was during the 1994 World Cup,” Kane says. “I was taken back by his presence, his look and his talent. It was the first time I’d seen a man look so different and unique”. The result is a song that’s more laid-back but never lacking in emotion.
Among the more daring tracks, ‘Ransom’ stands out not only as just that but also as one of the best on the album. Every now and then, you can hear Kane’s glam rock influences – something that’s evident in previous releases like ‘Cry On My Guitar’ – and ‘Ransom’ leaks some of this feel with Kane’s delicate vocalisation and understated arrangements.
Ending with ‘Scared Of Love’, it becomes apparent that this isn’t just Kane at his most raw, but also his most vulnerable. Stripped back to nothing more than Kane’s voice and an acoustic guitar, the song feels like a personal peak into Kane’s internal musings; “I said I’m sorry, but I know that’s not enough”.
Returning to Liverpool for the project enabled Kane to go back to basics and take the familiar to create something entirely new. “Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards,” Kane said. “This album is like a brand new, yet somehow familiar leather jacket”.
The truth is, going home worked because this feels like Kane at his most authentic, doing exactly what he wants to do and paying homage to all of the music he loves with borrowed elements of rock, northern soul, and pop.
Above all, it’s all just a bit of fun, really, and Kane has always knowingly shone through in the moment. But that’s the appeal; Miles Kane is one of the most passionate and approachable artists out there, who truly enjoys what he does and embraces all those willing to join him for the ride. One Man Band feels exactly like that.
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