The biggest issue I had with Miles’ two previous solo records was the fact that the singles have been great, it was hard for Kane to keep a steady level of songwriting for an entire album. Both Colour of the Trap and Don’t Forget Who You Are featured some extremely memorable hits, but there was also quite a lot of filler on these albums. Luckily, Coup De Grace changes that – standing at just 32 minutes, it’s the most cohesive collection of songs in Kane’s discography.
While it’s not radically different, Coup De Grace has a slightly changed sonic approach. Most notably, there’s a shift to a more glam-inspired sound (Cry On My Guitar is pure Marc Bolan), as well as some more punkier undertones. The opening Too Little Too Late is a galloping, fast-paced start to the record. The tempo is a little bit dizzying, but there’s plenty of sweet vocal hooks and melodies along the way. It’s fast, catchy and attention-grabbing: a peferct choice for and opener. A thunderflash of a song, Cold Light of The Day and Silverscreen both follow the same path. But that doesn’t mean that the album is all about tempo and energy. There are a few more emotional songs, and while Killing the Joke feels a little bit like the weakest cut on the record, Loaded definitely is a highlight. A stunning mid-tempo track is perfect from start to finish, and it features one of the more charming choruses I’ve heard all year (the backing vocals by Lana Del Rey and Jamie T are a nice touch too). The album is really well-balanced and while the explosive sequence of the four first tracks is brilliant, Kane does save his best melodies for the end – both Wrong Side of Life and Something To Rely On are among his best songs to date.
And yeah, it’s not perfect – Killing The Joke is really forgettable, Silverscreen feels a bit aimless, and the stomping funk of the title track really caught me by surprise and feels pretty odd. But these tracks don’t diminish the fact that it’s an extremely fun and catchy album. This is pretty much a record you would expect from Miles at this point of his career – a shamelessly joyous, old-fashioned rock’n’roll album.
8/10
Fear of Music 