Olivia Bodnar '23
If you haven’t heard of the English rock band Arctic Monkeys, I wouldn’t really blame you. Not only are they not widely considered mainstream, their unusual band name sometimes turns people off before they give them a shot.
However, they aren’t completely underground - their newest album, The Car, was released on October 21 to the masses (i.e. anyone who wasn’t prepping for the release of Midnights), and has already climbed up the charts in a matter of days. Their past albums are also widely acclaimed - with each album taking a slightly different style. Their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not is characterized by its guitar solos and classic British-rock sound. That was followed by Favorite Worst Nightmare and then Humbug two years later, opting for a more indie-rock approach. Then came Suck it and See, a slower and largely forgettable album, and then AM, the home of their most well-known and mainstream songs.
After AM, however, the Monkeys took a turn. Lead singer Alex Turner got his hands on a piano and neglected visiting the barber for Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino in 2016, which was full of new sounds and styles, less rock and more lounge. With the success of their past albums, many fans were wondering how The Car would measure up - or if it could at all.
The Car was, originally, an album shrouded in mystery. There was very little to be heard about Arctic Monkeys’ seventh album-which was given the name AM7 by fans because of what little information they had. Waiting for months on end, all that was known was that Alex Turner had an orchestra and a dream - and thankfully lost the Severus Snape-style locks, as seen during their 2022 spring/summer European tour.
“There’d Better Be a Mirrorball” was unexpectedly released early on August 30th, and we could get a taste of Turner’s vision. The band had not returned to their alternative-rock roots - but instead decided on a gentler, more psychedelic approach, complete with orchestral solos and a strange soprano voice from Turner. Upon the release of the album, it’s easy to see that the rest of the boys were in on the dream-like vibe - drummer Matt Helders and bassist Nick O’Malley playing in a spinning room in “Body Paint,” guitarist Jaime Cook looking on as Matt proceeds to toss sheets of paper in the air to drift down lazily in “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball.” The overall feel of the album wasn’t a surprise - it was expected to be similar to its predecessor - but that unexpectedly is what makes the album unique.
A pleasant surprise from The Car was the general beauty of the majority of the songs, such as the gentleness and tranquility of “Perfect Sense.” The multitude of positive reviews it has received have been overwhelming - the Guardian states, “Alex Turner’s vocals are majestic on this retro-styled, tactile album that delves into the effort behind maintaining a glamorous facade.”
The unexpected beauty can be found alongside longing and subtle maturity, growing from their hard-rock roots to their newer, more peaceful experimental sound. Although their origins will be missed, and many fans are eager for the return of the classic Monkeys, their newfound vision is not something to complain about - in fact, it could become a uniquely beautiful aspect in their many albums to come.
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