Whilst we await the release of the Arctic Monkeys next album, frontman Alex Turner has somehow found time to release a solo EP, ‘Sumarine’. The EP is the soundtrack for Richard Ayoade of IT Crowd fame’s debut movie of the same name.

It is somewhat different from the energetic brand of indie-punk which made his name. Always a supreme storyteller, Turner has found his niche, accompanied by some stripped back acoustic guitar and piano, his tender, touching, sometimes sneering vocals allow the stories to unfold perfectly. This short but sweet record has so much to offer as he picks and gently strums his way through ‘Hiding Tonight’, ‘Glass in the Park’ and ‘It’s Hard To Get Around The Wind’ with breathtaking wistful maturity. The tempo is upped meanwhile with ‘Stuck on the Puzzle’, a ponderous jaunty Lennon-esque tune while closer ‘Piledriver Waltz’ burns brightest of all. A sentimental, if slightly melancholic journey through forgotten youthful dreams and fears, quite similar in many ways to ‘Cornerstone’, an absolute gem from 2009’s Humbug. A brief but worthwhile encounter, five beautifully sung warm and intimate songs. I wonder if he’s infected with the solo side-project bug (fingers crossed).

The EP is out now on Domino.

Mp3: Alex Turner – Stuck on the Puzzle

[audio http://indierocker.net/songs/Alex%20Turner%20-%20Stuck%20on%20the%20puzzle.mp3]

Mp3: Alex Turner – Piledriver Waltz

[audio http://indierocker.net/songs/Alex%20Turner%20-%20Piledriver%20waltz.mp3]

Via Indierocker.net