Summary:Produced by James Ford and Ross Orton, the fifth full-length studio release for the indie rock band includes guest appearances by Josh Homme, Bill Ryder-Jones, and Pete Thomas.
Arctic Monkeys’ fifth record is absolutely and unarguably the most incredible album of their career. It might also be the greatest record of the last decade.
In the end AM not only signifies a career-defining moment that neatly places the band on a proper pedestal for all to admire--this is where not only Arctic Monkeys have come but in many ways, how they’ve masterfully conquered and continue to simply win.
There is a depth--a willingness to experiment, a refusal to be pigeonholed--that rewards repeated listens and makes this their most coherent, most satisfying album since their debut. Where they go next is anybody's guess.
With its multi-layered and complex music (incorporating many subgenres of rock and a great many styles in one cohesive whole), this is a great album for repeat listening, regardless of content.
AM lacks that character empathy: rather than being detached--ie, cool, wry, transverted--Turner is removed (impulsive, anxious, dull) and it is this subtle distinction that shoots AM down in its shiny leather metal-toed boots.
On the surface, AM can sound like your typical rock album with catchy hits and a few 'deeper' songs to balance things out. Arctic Monkeys areOn the surface, AM can sound like your typical rock album with catchy hits and a few 'deeper' songs to balance things out. Arctic Monkeys are not this band, and they did not make this album. Instead, what they made was a tribute to Rock N' Roll. They take us back to the period of music where rock was upbeat and sexy. They took us back to Elvis, and to the era of greased hair and leather jackets. The perceived simplicity of AM captures this perfectly, while still remaining fresh and original in the process.
AM is the sort of capstone project which people will point to decades later to say "that's the moment that music changed". If these next few years see the rise in leather-clad crooners with a penchant for cigarettes and dark party hits, you'll know why. Arctic Monkeys has become the band that sets the standard for everyone else.
But with this album, it's easy to focus solely on Alex Turner and forget that it's the music which makes the man. Matt Helders, in particular, shines on this album. R U Mine? has some of the most exciting drumming to grace the mainstream in years. The guitar solo in Arabella is irresistible. The bass is hot and heavy through the entire album, and this all culminates into one sound that is entirely cohesive.
Finally, this review wouldn't be complete without touching on the lyricism of this album. If you are looking for the same lyrical stylings of Favourite Worst Nightmare, look elsewhere. But just because these lyrics feel different doesn't make them inherently BAD. A better word is 'deceptive'. Remember that this is a tribute album to the greats, who created relatively simple music in the lyrical sense but broke new ground musically. Alex Turner was not writing a Bob Dylan album, but rather, an Elvis album. And to do that, you have to rely on your words in different ways.
What gives him away, however, is the cleverness of it all. When Turner says "simmer down and pucker up", he creates equal opposites - the same sort of literary device found in the most sophisticated poetry out there. When he sings "Forever isn't for everyone, is forever for you?", my English Lit-trained heart heaves a heavy sigh of pure joy. And the album is filled to the brim with lyrics like these; lyrics which sound simple but are infinitely more difficult to write than most of us can imagine.
Even as Alex Turner croons in Arabella "take a sip of your soul and it sounds like", he invokes a sense and then Jamie Cook comes in to finish the thought. If you study poetry, you know just how intense these lyrics are, and just how impressive it is that Turner managed to show his ability while remaining true to the spirit of 50s rock.
It's clear that AM reaches higher and travels further than any of its predecessors. What is unclear is how anyone could feel otherwise.…Expand
One of the best proper rock albums in a while. They managed to merge the sounds of the past two records into something magical. A seriousOne of the best proper rock albums in a while. They managed to merge the sounds of the past two records into something magical. A serious contender for album of the year!…Expand
I'm not a big fan of Indie Rock, but this band totally changed my opinion, I can't keep myself away form that replay button. It has someI'm not a big fan of Indie Rock, but this band totally changed my opinion, I can't keep myself away form that replay button. It has some classic fuzz wall around it.…Expand
I love the first single, and the album does not disappoint. Catchy and great hooks there. However, there are sounds that are bit repetitiveI love the first single, and the album does not disappoint. Catchy and great hooks there. However, there are sounds that are bit repetitive for me personally.…Expand
I wouldn't say this is their best work, as the NME said, but some songs really stand out (while others, namely I Want It All, are justI wouldn't say this is their best work, as the NME said, but some songs really stand out (while others, namely I Want It All, are just horrendous) and Alex Turner changes voice and looks again to go along the Monkeys' new style - more glamourous, sexier and more "mature", whatever than means.
You need two or three listens to get it in your system, then it's very good. Especially, listen to "No. 1 Party Anthem" about stripclubs, and "Knee Socks" with Josh Homme, who is so much better on other people's records than on his own.…Expand
Throughout the coming weeks, we'll be collecting year-end top 10 album lists from dozens of music critics, publications, record stores, and other sources. Find individual lists and this year's cumulative rankings inside.
Published: December 4, 2013Throughout the coming weeks, we'll be collecting year-end top 10 album lists from dozens of music critics, publications, record stores, and other sources. Find individual lists and this year's cumulative rankings inside.