Post by Mrs_C on Oct 2, 2013 20:44:25 GMT 2
So with the recent release of the Arctic monkeys seminal new album "AM" I wanted to take a look at my favorite band of all time and get your thoughts.
I have had the chance to now listen to AM in its entirety and I have to say it is by far the most experimental of all of their albums with sounds that a guitar band should not be making. It is also a fantastic listen.
It has garnered critical praise from every music publication out there and even managed 10/10 from NME which is rare and has not been achieved since PJ Harvey's 2011 "Let England Shake".
Their first album was 2006's "Whatever people say I am, that's what I'm not." was a great representation of growing up in northern England and tracks like "Mardy Bum" & "When the sun goes down (scummy man)" still get the fans going crazy. The track below is my favorite off the album & the shortest track on the album and is just a typical look at the album as a whole. It also reminds me of me and my mates causing shenanigans where I grew up.
Riot Van
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j052-ROwPFM
The album was hyped more than any debut that had been out since perhaps the Strokes. However it lived up to the hype and garnered the Monkey's only other 10/10 review. It is still a relevant album and in my opinion captures a time in history which will make it relevant in years to come.
The second album from the Arctics was 2007's "My favorite Worst Nightmare" was also a success, they appear to have built on the sound of 'Whatever people say I am' with a heavier direction but with the same poetic lyrics they are known for. It is not as strong as their debut by any stretch however there are still some gems to be had including the below track and managed a very reasonable (if maybe not quite deserved) 9/10 from the NME.
Florescent Adolescent.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma9I9VBKPiw
So by this time the band will now filling stadiums and had a dedicated fanbase who loved their catchy sound with their working class lyrics.
The one thing this band can never be accused of is selling out. They are still signed to Indie label Domino records to this day and Their next album 2009's "humbug" proved they do exactly what THEY want to do and make the record THEY want to make.
I have to say it is not one of my favorite albums but I think it was just so different to its predecessors that I like most other fans did not really give it a fair chance and to be honest still have not really listened to it as much as I would like to. I do not think I was alone in the confusion as this album also managed to receive the bands lowest review on the NME with 7/10
I have to explain that after the release of "Nightmare" they went into the American desert with Josh Homme from QOTSA and made this album. it is by far the biggest 180 in terms of style and substance. Their sound became bigger and heavier than ever and nothing demonstrates this more than this track.
Pretty Visitors
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVRvUIV6G-E
The next album 2011's "Suck It and See" was the return to form that the world was waiting for. A much more eclectic album with the sounds of 50's rock n roll oozing through it. NME gave it 9/10, a return to form and I have to say it is up there with their debut for me and is just beautiful. So many great tracks but I have picked this one as I think it captures the album perfectly and so good a slightly tweaked version was featured on the soundtrack to indie flick "submarine"
Piledriver Waltz
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrUqC6zZk94
Now we come to "AM" now as I explained I have only listened to it a couple of times but I have picked out a couple of standout tracks.
The first is the recent single and the second my already favorite album track. They have been quoted as saying they have used hip hop influences to create this album as this is what they were listening to back in the late 90s when bands were in decline and music was in a pretty dire state. Is it a coincidence they release this hip-hop heavy album in a time when the state of music is a direct parallel of that time? I think not.
Why Do You Only call Me When You're High
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6366dxFf-Os
One For The Road
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E-oxwJutbg
So after hearing the journey (god I hate that word) they have traveled to get to here. Is this the best they can do? Have they peaked? See I don't think so. Each album they do now seems to have a distinctive genre sound however they also manage to keep it sounding like a record by the arctic monkeys which is equally important. I am truly excited to see them next month and even more so to see what they come up with next.
In 2006 they released EP called ... "who the fuck are the arctic monkeys?" I think the answer to that question as this picture attests is ongoing.
I have had the chance to now listen to AM in its entirety and I have to say it is by far the most experimental of all of their albums with sounds that a guitar band should not be making. It is also a fantastic listen.
It has garnered critical praise from every music publication out there and even managed 10/10 from NME which is rare and has not been achieved since PJ Harvey's 2011 "Let England Shake".
Their first album was 2006's "Whatever people say I am, that's what I'm not." was a great representation of growing up in northern England and tracks like "Mardy Bum" & "When the sun goes down (scummy man)" still get the fans going crazy. The track below is my favorite off the album & the shortest track on the album and is just a typical look at the album as a whole. It also reminds me of me and my mates causing shenanigans where I grew up.
Riot Van
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j052-ROwPFM
The album was hyped more than any debut that had been out since perhaps the Strokes. However it lived up to the hype and garnered the Monkey's only other 10/10 review. It is still a relevant album and in my opinion captures a time in history which will make it relevant in years to come.
The second album from the Arctics was 2007's "My favorite Worst Nightmare" was also a success, they appear to have built on the sound of 'Whatever people say I am' with a heavier direction but with the same poetic lyrics they are known for. It is not as strong as their debut by any stretch however there are still some gems to be had including the below track and managed a very reasonable (if maybe not quite deserved) 9/10 from the NME.
Florescent Adolescent.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma9I9VBKPiw
So by this time the band will now filling stadiums and had a dedicated fanbase who loved their catchy sound with their working class lyrics.
The one thing this band can never be accused of is selling out. They are still signed to Indie label Domino records to this day and Their next album 2009's "humbug" proved they do exactly what THEY want to do and make the record THEY want to make.
I have to say it is not one of my favorite albums but I think it was just so different to its predecessors that I like most other fans did not really give it a fair chance and to be honest still have not really listened to it as much as I would like to. I do not think I was alone in the confusion as this album also managed to receive the bands lowest review on the NME with 7/10
I have to explain that after the release of "Nightmare" they went into the American desert with Josh Homme from QOTSA and made this album. it is by far the biggest 180 in terms of style and substance. Their sound became bigger and heavier than ever and nothing demonstrates this more than this track.
Pretty Visitors
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVRvUIV6G-E
The next album 2011's "Suck It and See" was the return to form that the world was waiting for. A much more eclectic album with the sounds of 50's rock n roll oozing through it. NME gave it 9/10, a return to form and I have to say it is up there with their debut for me and is just beautiful. So many great tracks but I have picked this one as I think it captures the album perfectly and so good a slightly tweaked version was featured on the soundtrack to indie flick "submarine"
Piledriver Waltz
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrUqC6zZk94
Now we come to "AM" now as I explained I have only listened to it a couple of times but I have picked out a couple of standout tracks.
The first is the recent single and the second my already favorite album track. They have been quoted as saying they have used hip hop influences to create this album as this is what they were listening to back in the late 90s when bands were in decline and music was in a pretty dire state. Is it a coincidence they release this hip-hop heavy album in a time when the state of music is a direct parallel of that time? I think not.
Why Do You Only call Me When You're High
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6366dxFf-Os
One For The Road
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E-oxwJutbg
So after hearing the journey (god I hate that word) they have traveled to get to here. Is this the best they can do? Have they peaked? See I don't think so. Each album they do now seems to have a distinctive genre sound however they also manage to keep it sounding like a record by the arctic monkeys which is equally important. I am truly excited to see them next month and even more so to see what they come up with next.
In 2006 they released EP called ... "who the fuck are the arctic monkeys?" I think the answer to that question as this picture attests is ongoing.
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