The Dream Synopsis

The Dream Synopsis is an extended play by English supergroup the Last Shadow Puppets, released on 2 December 2016 by Domino Recording Company. It was produced by Patrick Higgins in Hudson, New York and contains re-recordings of two songs from the band's second album, Everything You've Come to Expect, as well as four cover versions that the band played during their 2016 tour.^[1] The album artwork features a still picture of the band recording the music video for their cover of "Is This What You Wanted". It was the final release of the band's second period of activity.

The Dream Synopsis
EP by the Last Shadow Puppets
Released	2 December 2016 (2016-12-02)[1]
Recorded	August 2016
Studio	Future-Past, Hudson, NY
Genre	Baroque pop post-punk revival
Length	24:06
Label	Domino[2]
The Last Shadow Puppets chronology
Everything You've Come to Expect (2016) The Dream Synopsis (2016)
Singles from The Dream Synopsis
"Is This What You Wanted" Released: 17 October 2016 "Les Cactus" Released: 14 November 2016

Background and recording

The Dream Synopsis EP was recorded in one day at Future-Past Studios in August 2016. The songs featured on the release were recorded live in the studio.^[3]

Release and promotion

On 17 October 2016, the band announced the EP was going to be released on 2 December of that same year, digitally, on CD, and on a limited edition red vinyl.^[4]

Singles and Music videos

The lead single, a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Is This What You Wanted" was released on 17 October with an accompanying music video directed by Ben Chappell and Aaron Brown. It features the band performing the track live on a sound stage.^[5][6]

On 14 November they released a music video, directed by Ben Chapell, for their rendition of Jacques Dutronc's "Les Cactus". Once again the band appears performing the song live at a music studio.^[7][8]

Their next video, a cover Glaxo Babies's "This Is Your Life", was released on 5 December and followed the formula of the previous ones, with the band performing the song live on a catwalk.^[9][10]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[11]
The Skinny	[12]

For The Skinny, Aidan Ryan wrote, "these six songs hang together with a real emotional coherence. Turner is in top form, Kane’s vocals have never sounded more outrageously appropriate, and The Last Shadow Puppets do what they do best: ham it up so much – and so well – that you might just might believe that they're deadly serious." Matt Collar of AllMusic said, "the covers here are so confidently performed and arranged that they sound close to definitive," and thought the EP complemented Everything You've Come to Expect, functioning "as a swaggering coda to that recording, a kind of final summation of the full-length album's arty, hedonistic theatricality."

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Aviation"	Alex Turner Miles Kane	3:46
2.	"Les Cactus"	Jacques Dutronc Jacques Lanzmann	3:20
3.	"Totally Wired"	Mark E. Smith Marc Riley Paul Hanley Craig Scanlon	3:37
4.	"This Is Your Life"	Rob Chapman	2:55
5.	"Is This What You Wanted"	Leonard Cohen	6:46
6.	"The Dream Synopsis"	Alex Turner	3:42
Total length:			24:06

Personnel

The Last Shadow Puppets Alex Turner Miles Kane James Ford Zachary Dawes Additional musicians Tyler Parkford – keyboards, backing vocals Loren Humphrey – drums, percussion Scott Gillies – guitar Jordan Pettay – saxophone

Production Patrick Higgins – recording James Ford – mixing Matt Colton – mastering Orchestrations Owen Pallett – arrangement Caroline Buckman – violin Claudia Chopek – violin Jennifer Takamatsu – violin Mikala Schmitz – cello Artwork Matthew Cooper – design

Charts

Chart (2016)	Peak position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[13]	55
UK Albums (OCC)[14]	57

References

1. "The Last Shadow Puppets - the Dream Synopsis LP". Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
2. "Hear Last Shadow Puppets' Moody Leonard Cohen Cover". Rollingstone.com. 17 October 2016.
3. "The Last Shadow Puppets Announce EP, Share Video of Leonard Cohen Cover "Is This What You Wanted"". Under The Radar. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
4. "The Last Shadow Puppets Announce EP, Share Video of Leonard Cohen Cover "Is This What You Wanted"". Under The Radar. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
5. "Must-watch: The Last Shadow Puppets - 'Is This What You Wanted' music video". Coup de Main. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
6. The Last Shadow Puppets - Is This What You Wanted (Official Video). 17 October 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 – via YouTube.
7. "The Last Shadow Puppets share cover of "Les Cactus" — watch". Consequence of Sound. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
8. The Last Shadow Puppets - Les Cactus (Official Video). 14 November 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 – via YouTube.
9. "Watch The Last Shadow Puppets' glitzy new video for 'This Is Your Life'". NME. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
10. The Last Shadow Puppets - This Is Your Life (Official Video). 5 December 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 – via YouTube.
11. The Dream Synopsis EP at AllMusic. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
12. Ryan, Aidan (2 December 2016). "The Last Shadow Puppets – The Dream Synopsis EP". The Skinny. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
13. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
14. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 December 2016.