On the Record

The Last Shadow Puppets, Michael Pedicin and Dizzee Rascal

Rating: Excellent, like John Oates’ mustache.

Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner is a precocious pop princeling with talent to spare. Finding himself with time on his hands, he decided to hook up with best mate Miles Kane (of the Rascals), roped in producer du jour James Ford, and effortlessly banged out yet another practically flawless musical gem. It’s an affectionate take on the kind of late-’60s, melodramatic, theatrical pop as perfected by Scott Walker when he was deep in his Jacques Brel trip. And Turner’s still only 22. Bastard. (Neil Ferguson)

Rating: Solid, like the Liberty Bell.

Young hotshots probably won’t take kindly to 60-year-old tenor saxophonist Michael Pedicin’s cover of Joan Osborne’s cheesy smash “One of Us,” despite the fact that it was penned by our own Eric Bazilian. It’s admittedly an odd choice, but there are much cooler passages here, including the loose voyage “L.A. to Philly,” a smoldering title track, and the Afro-tinged “This Way Out.” A psychologist by day, Pedicin has managed to work with Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra in his music career, which from the sound of this album—not to mention the title—is far from over. (Doug Wallen)

Rating: Solid, like the Liberty Bell.

Finally, the (near) triumphant third album from U.K. Grime’s reigning wunderkind gets a Stateside release. Possibly Dizzee’s broadest offering yet; from brutal minimalist beats to big fuck-off guitar riffs, to old-school drum and bass breaks, to radio-friendly pop collaborations with Lily Allen, it’s got the lot. True, the quality control’s not always as strictly enforced as it could be, and the U.S. audience, bewildered by his undiluted guttersnipe Cockney/Patois delivery might never view him as much more than an exotic novelty. But ultimately that’s their loss as Maths and English is a ball-busting statement of intent. (N.F.)