After 3 years since the release of their last album, the Arctic Monkeys came out with a new album, The Car. And they delivered–mostly.
Fans were unsure what approach lead singer Alex Turner would take with this album. Their debut album “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” initially defined the band’s sound: infectious electric guitar riffs, heavy drums, and a good time. Off the bat, they were described as “just another UK rock band,” as they resembled other bands such as Oasis. The band is best described as “alternative rock;” however, their sound has fluctuated quite a bit over the years.
Recently, the band has been straying away from the heavy guitar and changing their style. “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino,” released in 2018, was especially ambitious, with the lyrics telling a story of a fictional futuristic moon-based luxury resort. The album captured a bluesy and mellow sound, which nobody had expected. It was also a very experimental and conceptual album for the band, and certainly did not follow the same structure as their previous albums.
“The Car” is similar to “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” in this respect. The band once again abandons the heavy drums and guitar and produces a calmer album. In an interview with Irish DJ Annie Mac on BBC Radio, Turner states: “[t]he guitar had lost its ability to give me ideas. Every time I sat with a guitar I was suspicious of where it was gonna go. I had a pretty good idea of what I might be, which is completely contrary to what I felt when I sat at the piano.” With this in mind, it makes sense why the band is moving in the direction that they’re moving in. Even though the album excludes the instruments that the band typically uses, that does not mean the album is lacking instrumentally.
In fact, the one impressive thing about this album was the instrumentation. To best understand this without listening to the whole album, listen to the song “Sculptures of Anything Goes,” which is by far the best on the album. It sets the tone immediately with haunting synths in the beginning, and the atmosphere continues to build as the song goes on. Upon the initial listen to the track, the picture of a villain walking in a movie came to mind with the song playing in the background.
The rest of the album, while not nearly as dark, definitely keeps the theme of great instrumentation. Songs like “I Ain’t Quite What I Think I Am” and “Jet Skies On The Moat” incorporate bass guitar and add a funky, jazzy element to the album. Many songs also use strings to create another layer of depth, which is especially prevalent in “Body Paint,” “The Car,” and “Hello You.” And even though the guitar was not used in its typical, heavy rock way, fans could appreciate how beautifully plucking was used in “Mr. Schwartz.” Though, it would be wrong not to acknowledge the amazing guitar solo in “Body Paint,” which arrives after an extremely catchy refrain, making it one of the highlights on the album.
The lyrics on this album were not a selling point, but not something to ignore. There were certainly a few quotable lyrics, one example being in “Jet Skies On The Moat:” “Is there somethin’ on your mind, or are you just happy to sit there and watch while the paint job dries?” The song “Big Ideas” is also sure to make fans sad, which reminisces about the band’s past and how much they have changed. There are a few other moments on the album that are interesting, but lyrics were not something that stuck out a lot while listening.
Currently the band is going on tour in both America and Europe. They are to be accompanied by the bands “Fontaines D.C.” and “Inhaler.” It will be interesting to see how the songs from this album will perform live, since they are not exactly the most high-energy. However, perhaps paired with their older music, it will create a nice balance between genres.
Overall, the album The Car was a pleasant experience, and one of great recommendation. It was a highly anticipated album for me, and while it did not accomplish all that some fans may have hoped for, it was not a disappointment. It is understandable, however, how someone would not like it. The songs do get a bit repetitive at times, and older fans of the band may not love it, since it sounds very different from the music they got famous for. The Car is a new sound for the English band, and while they are still experimenting, they have, for the most part, accomplished what they were trying to do.
