Arctic Monkeys - The Car
Lounge Rock – Released October 21, 2022 – 10 songs, 37 mins
LUNDI
Does this weeks band really need any introduction? Well our followers sure don’t think so, as Arctic Monkeys seventh studio album, The Car, was deemed the more hyped October release when matched up against pop queen Taylor Swift on a recent TSR poll. With great hype though comes great responsibility. Let’s see what the Sheffield rockers have to offer.
The Car is definitely not liken to debut album Whatever People Say or discog highlight Suck It and See, and while in hindsight AM foreshadowed a change in style, it’s certainly not the 2013 stadium rock album either. What it is though, is an incredible improvement on 2018’s genre shifting Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. While both albums share the lounge rock label the previous effort was a one dimensional bore that should have been an Alex Turner solo album. The Car however feels like a full band. Like they walked into the studio together and meticulously crafted every note. It’s artistic progression at its finest. It’s unlikely to be the favourite album of any devout monkey follower of old, but where so many rock mainstay bands stick with the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mantra, AM should be praised for daring to polarize and innovate, especially with this level of quality.
The main reason the band can be so pro risk though is no doubt Alex Turner. On The Car he continues his musical dominance over the song writing world of rock and pens full stories and paints vivid pictures with his words. His delivery remains bar none and he’s a true alpha musician. With these simplistic songs he is the key to keeping the listener intrigued and does not disappoint.
Band collaboration and insight from producer James Ford are also main contributors to The Car as the group form together to build on Turner’s base arrangements thereby developing song structures that are elevated with string sections, bluesy guitar riffs, brass instrumentation, and piano melodies. No longer am I left questioning the bands direction, but curious of what’s next. To say this album experience was a pleasant surprise would be an understatement.
After putting aside the disappointment that the Arctic Monkeys of old may never return, The Car transforms into an brilliant album within AM’s discography. Alex Turner leads the way and shines on this intimate back room lounge rock album.
Overall Rating: 8.1/10
Favourite Song: There Better Be A Mirrorball
ROZ
Four years removed from their last album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, Arctic Monkeys are back once more to the elation of their fanbase. With their previous effort straying off of the beaten path carved out by the band over the years, it begs the question: will The Car steer back into the stadium rock sound, or was this deviation a permanent marker in the trajectory of the group? The key is in the ignition - it’s time to find the answer.
It doesn’t take long on this journey; hell the car has barely left the parking lot. The room fills with smoke from ashed cigarettes as the melancholic progressions of keys and string arrangements dance amongst the pitter patter of a closed cymbal and a tinny snare drum. There’d Better Be A Mirrorball paints the picture of what’s to come as Alex Turner and company settle into a sound that teleports the listener into a dimly lit jazz speakeasy filled with martini sipping patrons. Turner is in top form of course, to no one’s surprise; the band's sound may have changed, but their lead man has not lost a single step.
If anything, The Car is consistent in its methods and in its elements. Apart from the upbeat moments in I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am and Hello You, you could start at any point on this record and you’d be welcomed with the exact same timbres and tones: a steady downtempo drum pattern accompanied by an emotional layering of strings and piano, a lightly strummed guitar, a somber bass line and the croonings of Mr. Turner (who sometimes even channels his own version of Bowie, especially noticeable in Body Paint). Fit for the newest addition of the James Bond movie franchise, you can almost taste the shaken martini as you run down the track list. The Car is very, very consistent - admittedly, almost to a fault.
Whether this is the final nail in the coffin or not, this certainly seems to be the direction that Arctic Monkeys have now pivoted towards for good as the stadium rock sound is once again traded in for the smooth serenades of a smoky jazz lounge. For hungry fans, The Car may placate. For fans of the bands older sound however, the pangs will likely continue.
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Favourite Song: Body Paint
REID
This week’s instalment comes in the form of an old favourite, Arctic Monkeys. The Car marks the seventh studio album since their arrival on the scene in 2006 as indie rockers. The boys and I have flirted with the idea of a throwback to the greatness of Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not but it hasn’t come to fruition… yet. While there were definite changes on works one to five, The Car’s predecessor, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, was a complete paradigm shift for the band. On a personal level, I gave it a single listen and was just not interested. Maybe more exposure would’ve enlightened me on the critical acclaim it received but like many long-time fans, I was disappointed. Change doesn’t have to be negative but TBH&C just didn’t do it for me and I returned to their old stuff when I was looking for my fill.
Much to my chagrin, the release of singles There’d Better Be A Mirrorball and Body Paint confirmed the continuation of their new ‘lounge act’ direction. The difference? I was into it. The boys and I couldn’t help but listen and discuss. While their early thoughts seemed mostly negative, I quietly enjoyed both. Anyone who has followed us long enough know I’m a sucker for tasteful violin. The piano and string-heavy arrangements paired with Turner’s superstar delivery on the mic made me optimistic for the rest.
While there are plenty of strong moments in the other eight songs, including I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am and Sculptures of Anything Goes, the album lacks wow factor. The songs on the back half of the album roll into one and before I know it, the album is over and Apple Music has shuffled to something new.
The band is no longer suited for stadium rock and it’s essential for festival bookers and goers to recognize. I attended the Austin City Limits music festival in October of 2018, months after the release of TBH&C. The difference between this performance and the one I was a part of at Voodoo festival in 2014 was crazy. Two completely different acts. This new direction needs a suitable atmosphere.
The Arctic Monkeys crew earn creative points on The Car as they doubled down on their stylistic change with obvious improvement over their previous effort. Despite raising the bar with the appealing jazz-like sound, the album in its entirety feels redundant. I remain open to the possibility of my rating getting a boost by an intimate experience with a cigar, glass of scotch and some of that Alex Turner charm.
Overall Rating: 6.7/10
Favourite Song: Body Paint