Arctic Monkeys AM Album Review

Anyone who has followed the Sheffield four-piece Arctic Monkeys since their debut in 2006 will be able to tell you the band have come a long way since the songs about teenage nightlife, wedding singers and moody girlfriends that filled their first album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. Now with the release of their fifth studio album AM, Arctic Monkeys are unapologetic about the undeniable changes in their musical direction, as frontman Alex Turner told NME “I don’t think anyone really expects us to continue – or return to – the approach we had seven years ago”.

You would be forgiven for assuming that Arctic Monkeys attempted to just recreate the music on their collective iPods, as many of the songs on AM are clearly heavily influenced by R&B, hip hop and ‘70s rock. However it is clear they were certainly not lazy in doing so, as Alex Turner described “you gotta be careful which elements you take. It’s like a chemical reaction, you get a bit too much of one thing and you don’t get any bang.” But rest assured, ‘AM’ provides plenty of “bang”.

The album opens with the electrifying guitar riff of Do I Wanna Know?, and with its epic chorus it sounds like Arctic Monkeys are completely back on form compared to their dirgy and Bob Dylan-esque previous albums Humbug and Suck It And See, respectively. Despite all the time spent in LA to record this album, ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ as the first track reassures its listeners that Arctic Monkeys are still the same four reluctant rockers from Sheffield, as Alex Turner’s notorious Northern accent prevails, “… sticks around like summat in your teeth?” .

R U Mine? is the first of many songs on the album to recall ‘70s rock but no two songs sound the same, as Arabella, a definite standout track, is a successful merger of a Dr Dre-influenced intro and a chorus reminiscent of Black Sabbath (as strange as it sounds), I Want It All reeks of glam rock and the comparisons that could be made between Mad Sounds and Lou Reed’s Take A Walk On The Wild Side are endless.

One For The Road evokes more of an R&B style as Alex Turner’s lyrics and vocal style are noticeably more sensual, but still retains the vintage guitar riffs that are becoming ‘AM’s trademark. Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High? , like Arabella and One For The Road, also makes use of a hip-hop style intro but out of all twelve songs, lyrically it could belong on their first album.

In contrast to the majority of songs on AM, No. 1 Party Anthem is slower and its wistful lyrics are reminiscent of those found on their previous album Suck It And See, but the heavy presence of piano ventures into cabaret territory at times, however many fans have already stated that slow dancing to this song has made it on to their bucket lists. The driving drum beat and guitar in Snap Out Of It defies any listener to sit still while listening to it, and observant listeners might recognise a guest appearance by Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme on the witty and provocative Knee Socks.

AM finishes with Alex Turner’s homage to poet John Cooper Clarke, I Wanna Be Yours, its soft, slow and echoey drum beat evoking that of a beating heart and lyrics which every young girl would dream of having sung to them.

Despite the radical changes in style, Arctic Monkeys songs haven’t lost any of the imagery, intelligence and relatability of the songs the British public fell in love with back in 2006. Is it safe to say the awkward yet witty and incredibly talented youths behind the iconic ‘Whatever People Say I Am…” haven’t changed, as much as people like to believe, but just grown up?

Buy 'Arctic Monkeys AM' now for only £8.99.

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