Album Review: AM - Arctic Monkeys

They arrived in the largely drab, suburban and unpromising backstreets of High Green, Sheffield back in 2003, were catapulted into acclaim of stratospheric levels through a once-in-a-generation word-of-mouth phenomenon and were almost instantly a major force to reckoned with in the UK. Ten years later, since playing their maiden gig in June 2003 at The Grapes in Sheffield's city centre, the indie rock four-piece are still ascending on their unparalleled rise from potty-mouthed northern school leavers to honed, gutsy and glamorous Sabbath-esque rockers, complete with hoards of adoring onlookers, sell-out arena tour and one of the biggest and most recognisable names in the British music industry. So with the release of their much-anticipated fifth studio album, all, I might add, at the tender ages of 27/28, it's incredibly interesting to observe the way 'AM' takes the Arctics off in a refreshingly new and unprecedented direction. And, first and foremost, have the foursome further extended their continued knack of combining an experimental approach with their distinctive rock 'n' roll style that infuses all their other studio releases?

Without question, the album requires multiple listens to fully perceive and appreciate its concept, to distinguish between tracks and take in the new and unexpected hip-hop influences that lace much of its content. Immediately, the listening experience itself differs enormously from the deceptive simplicity of earlier exports, such as their infamous fastest-selling debut album, 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not', which boasts a far more hedonistic and rough approach musically, charged and energised with the band's youth and refreshingly accurate portrayal of youth culture. The fact that 'AM' contains what are largely similar-sounding songs isn't necessarily a bad thing, but merely implies it's slightly lacking in the obvious craftsmanship and individuality exuded by earlier albums. I suppose you could liken that to the album name itself, as although it constitutes an acronym of the band's name and also stands for 'amplitude modulation', it gives off a noticeably more relaxed and less thoughtful concept artistically, perhaps continuing from the far more simplistic 'Suck It And See' of 2011. Second single from the album and opening track, 'Do I Wanna Know?' immediately sets the tone for the rest album, as all good opening tracks should, exhibiting a more mature and refined drawling low-pitched vocal style from lead singer, Alex Turner, punctuated with an incisive backing drum beat and infectiously rich and dramatic R U Mine-esque riff. The response to this track in particular was clear from the band's Glastonbury crowd in June earlier this year, who sung back the riff alone as the ensemble entered the Pyramid Stage as second time headliners of the festival.

The record certainly continues at it means to go on, with the addition of 2012 single and fan favourite, R U Mine, a perfect example of the more experimental nature of the album, with the introduction of high-pitched backing vocals and a vibe of grandeur and archetypal 'sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll' feel as Turner revels in his seductive delivery of 'all I wanna hear you say is 'are you mine?''. 'One For The Road' plays on this altogether more funky, smooth and understated aspect to the album. Imagine the smooth hum of a milk-white Cadillac as it cruises through the bustling nightlife of a glamorous and jewel-encrusted avenue of L.A. and that's more or less this song personified, as is the case with much of the album. Arctic Monkeys cleverly and subtly intersperse these slower romantic tracks with upbeat and equally love-focused numbers such as 'Arabella', detailing of a mystery temptress with 'interstellar 'gator skin boots' and a 'helter skelter round her little finger'. Turner's effortlessly witty and poetic lyrical style pushes through strongly as ever.

In the latter half of the album, it appears as though the band struggle to maintain the proverbial flame ignited by the stronger tracks of the first half of album, with a few pedestrian filler-type songs such as 'Mad Sounds' and 'Fireside', which although fit in effortlessly with the quiet bravado of the record, certainly don't showcase the band's instrumental and artistic prowess as profoundly as its other tracks. What are noticeable though, and rather encouraging, are the similarities which can be drawn between some of these calmer, less individual tracks and songs such as 'Stuck On The Puzzle' and 'Glass In The Park' from Turner's 2010 Submarine EP, penned and performed by the frontman for the Richard Ayoade film of the same title. The same pensive, introspective tone and soft distorted guitar riffs can be drawn particularly from 'No.1 Party Anthem', which although lyrically isn't exactly 'Fluorescent Adolescent' in terms of poetry, exhibits a real sense of maturity and progression as a band, which essentially is what the album as a whole encapsulates.

Third single, 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?' is certainly a highlight, and perhaps one of the more experimental tracks on the record. It boasts a deliciously sleek and funk-infused backbeat, leading into Turner's velvety falsetto, lamenting about it being 'three in the morning and I'm trying to change your mind, left you multiple missed calls and to my message you reply; 'why'd you only call me when you're high?''. The track has a real rise and fall to it, complemented by the crescendo build up from the rest of the band's backing vocals, which I think is ultimately what sets the album's singles apart from some of the weaker tracks in terms of originality, as they retain some of the audaciousness and punch that 'Mad Sounds', for example, doesn't. Later tracks such as 'Snap Out Of It' and 'Knee Socks', are again amongst the slightly weaker tracks on the album, yet still expose Turner's knack for songwriting incomparably. Albeit a minimal part, guest vocalist, Queens of the Stone Age's frontman, Josh Homme, brings sultry and dramatic presence to 'Knee Socks' with his distinctive breathy vocals highlighting the undertones of luxury and fluidity in the song and enhances the melodic groove of guitarist, Jamie Cook's role. The closing track to the album was a somewhat unconventional choice on the band's part to cover punk poet, John Cooper Clark's, 'I Wanna Be Yours'. Whilst being an unexpected option to complete the album, it really struck me how shrewd a decision the cover was, due to the similarities between Clark and Turner's poetic style, rife with wit and endearing colloquialisms. Turner's stark and brusque delivery of the famous line, 'I wanna be your Ford Cortina, I will never rust' undoubtedly illustrates this.

'AM' most definitely isn't the best record of the last decade, contrary to over-hyped claims from the British music press, nor is it the best album Arctic Monkeys themselves have produced, but what's undeniable is the obvious maturity channelled through the album and through the members themselves, in terms of both their stage presence and their attitude to making music in general. I mean, who could get away with stopping to comb his greasy '50s style quiff part way through a Glastonbury set other than Alex Turner? A handful of tracks, particularly its singles, hint at the album's potential greatness, but overall the less crafted and more prosaic filler tracks do tend to take the shine off to an extent. So it's with a slightly sour taste in the mouth that this album rounds itself off, but we know exactly what brilliance the Sheffield-hailing quartet are capable of so let's hope their extensive US and UK arena tours can inject the life into the album that's undoubtedly there, but isn't quite able to pack the punch it needs.

Rating: 7/10

AM - Arctic Monkeys: Out Now

Do I Wanna Know? - Arctic Monkeys

Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? - Arctic Monkeys