Arctic Monkeys - AM

I've been a huge fan of the Monkeys since their first album. And always with diminishing returns. (But to be fair, they had far to fall.) The second and third albums fared well for me. But the last, "Suck It And See", even with one of my fave songs of that year, was still a disappointment. One- they had an equally genius talent at the producer chair with Josh Homme. And while his influence helped, they wrote some lazy silly songs throughout. But nothing is going to turn me off so much to not give the new one a spin, even though I am confused as to why they named it after Alanis Morissette.

And I am pleasantly surprised to find track one being not only great, but a perfect fit for my year end compilation album. (More on that never) But "Do I Wanna Know?" is a simple rock tune, musically. Unlike the frantic staccato of what will amount to their career best-of. Lyrically, Alex will never cease to tie the tongues of karaokiers from Tokyo to London, and this track is no different. The theme though is an awesomely laid-out pining of the distant woman, wondering if she'll love him back without having the balls to ask.

 

"We both know that the nights were mainly made for saying things that you can't say tomorrow day"

 

Track two "R U Mine?" is similarly vocabularically satisfying, but the real draw here is musical. Like I said, the band is generally running at as frantic a pace as Turner's mouth. Here, though, they take a lesson, no doubt from Homme (who isn't producing, but still shows up). What results is not psychedelic by any stretch, but still disjointed but still rhythmically together but still in a very awesome way. (stutter intentional)

 

There's also a straight-up quality love song, in the vein of the band's "Cornerstone" or "Only Ones Who Know", with "No. 1 Party Anthem". It's darkly toned - but sweet and sexy all at once. Other tracks seem boring, but listen again. "Arabella" and "Mad Sounds" for example are both examples of where the band seems to be lagging off, and they're definitely simpler; but really these are excellent songs. It just takes a close listen for your brain to shift into a feel that's unlike what you're used to.

 

At the end of the day, this is a major upstep. Where I thought that "Suck It" had too much suck, "AM" has more... (sorry- I have no writer tricks to link "AM" to "good") My point is, this is easily my favorite Monkeys record since the debut. (5 of 5 stars)