Almost a decade after their famous album AM dropped, the famous British rock band, Arctic Monkeys released their latest album titled The Car. The album in its entirety proved as the perfect way to reintroduce Arctic Monkeys back into the music scene. While still capturing the sound that remains true to their art form, the band adapted new musical tactics that worked greatly in their benefit. The album incorporates a sound that makes you feel as though you are back in the 70’s at a depressed disco, which can definitely be viewed as a unique experience. Although the entire album was stellar, here are a few standouts.
- “Body Paint”
Since listening to the album on repeat, “Body Paint” remains my favorite song on the album. The beginning of the song can be viewed as a “foot tapper” but as the bridge hits, the perception of the song shifts. While previously incorporating various beats, the bridge only uses strings and lead singer, Alex’s voice. With the simplicity compared to the heavy production in the beginning of the piece, the song is masterfully crafted.
- “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball”
The first song on the album, “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball” demonstrates itself as the perfect introduction to the album. The band released this song prior to the album’s release as a single, which allowed fans to have a gaze into what the new era of Arctic Monkeys would be like. Upon first listening to this song in particular, I did not know how to feel about it. But after taking time to listen to the many layers of the song, it began to grow on me. On the calmer side, this song allows the listener to enjoy the many sides of the band’s performance rather than their typically stronger songs.
- “The Car”
When I first heard this song, I felt as though I was transported into a Western movie. However subtle, the percussion seems to aid this Western feel heavily production wise. If one listens closely, the role of the drums is identifiable and makes you feel like you are having a standoff with someone. The strings are also a standout in this song, it almost feels like it would be in a score for a movie rather than a typical Arctic Monkeys album. Nonetheless, the song is produced wonderfully and one of my top favorites.
All in all, the album serves as a simple but steady comeback for the Arctic Monkeys and I am excited to see what their future holds!