Since Arctic Monkeys burst onto the music scene, I was hooked into their no nonsense rock and Yorkshire roll approach. They had a fresh sound with funny, catchy lyrics, which shook the market and got tongues wagging. I was relieved to finally hear a band that sung with a bit of passion and talent to drown out all the average bands out there at the time. Their young singer, Alex Turner, even uttered the words, ‘don’t believe the hype’ before rattling into ‘I bet that you look good on the dancefloor’, which summed up there modest attitude, as everyday lads from Yorkshire.
This single came out along with a buzz about their debut album. The savvy band built this up online and blogs and social networks were on edge waiting for its release. Before this, there weren’t many bands that could generate such as buzz without having a previous back catalogue to go off. Nevertheless, when it was released its popularity was confirmed with every song telling a different story about nights out and longing for the girl. Here’s their catchy first single:
Today Alex Turner, appears to have morphed from a shy teenager to a slim and slick Elvis. His new hair cut seems to bring an air of much needed confidence, which appeared to be lacking following their initial success. The other albums did very well to try and match the first but their latest is a comfortable new approach, new look Arctic Monkeys. Their songs have a familiar longing for a girl but their style today reflects an experienced band who are not afraid to go their own way.
The tracks that stand out are ‘Mad Sounds’, ‘No 1 Party Anthem’ and their latest released singles: ‘Do I wanna know?’ and ‘Why’d you only call me when you’re high?’ Their songs are more anthemic and even the lesser known tracks like ‘Fireside’ and ‘Snap out of it’ start to get catchy after a few listens. Their lyrics are still witty with observational Northern humour, which makes them ever more lovable.
What I felt is missing is the no holds barred heavy rock and roll style, which bands like this blast out at the beginning of their careers to make a name for themselves. This style obviously runs out of steam but is still appreciated. It’s a shame to see other bands also doing this, such as Kings of Leon focusing on the anthemic ballads rather than straight forward rock and riot of their early days.
I asked an Arctic Monkeys fan about the new album for a second opinion. Amy Baxter said:
The new Arctic Monkeys album is fantastic. It is made up of twelve songs and each one is amazing. I am a big fan of the Arctic Monkeys music but I think it is music that everyone can enjoy. The latest songs on the album are a bit different to the older songs. My favourite song on the album would have to be “Do I wanna know?” I think it is very catchy and the lyrics are very clever just like their other songs. My next favourite song would be “Why’d you only call me when your high?” I think Alex Turners voice sounds amazing in this song especially. The music is also really great in this too. The songs on this album I think would be even better live. I also noticed the songs had a sort of 60s twist to them which was different. I think there was a theme of love in this album. The music is overall amazing on their new album. Each song has its own message and I enjoy listening to it whenever I can.
This album is still worthy of their high calibre in the music business and they are an excellent band to see live. I’m looking forward to their future albums as they continue to live up to their legendary status.
Jon Exton
