The new Arctic Monkeys album, "AM," takes you along on a midnight ride of self-reflection, sexual-frustration and strong falsetto. It starts off with "Do I Wanna Know?" — which has Arctic Monkeys signature as far as lyrical timing and word choice. The chorus blends hazy rock with smooth R&B and could easily fit on "Suck It And See."
The next track, "R U Mine?" — released about a year ago — has a Black-Keys-ness to it, likely because they debuted it while on tour with the Keys. The riffs are slick, and the song is one of the more high-energy tracks on the album.
They continue with "One for the Road," which transitions the album into desert blues territory. The track features Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and gives off a sound reminiscent of The Rolling Stones.
"Arabella," is a tune that solidifies Turners lyrical prowess; his words play together with an effortless flow. On the second verse he sings, "Arabella's got a '70s head/ But she's a modern lover/ It's an exploration she's made of outer space/ And her lips are like the galaxy's edge/ And her kiss the color of a constellation falling into place." It has a sexy, choppy, hard rock feel with a hypnotic chorus and a badass guitar solo.
"I Want It All" is the Arctic Monkey's take on Motown meets psychedelic-punk; it transitions into "No 1. Party Anthem," which isn't a dance-floor jam but rather a soulful rock ballad with a Beatles-likes progression.
"Mad Sounds" is up next with a Bob-Dylan-meets-The-Doors intro and another Beatles-inspired chorus. It is gentle, breezy and perfect for slow dancing at their live shows.
Eight songs in, we get "Fireside," which has an '80s rock tempo with an echoing chorus and, again, a psychedelic-Motown feel. But it doesn't take long until "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" brings back the energy with palpable sexual frustration.
"Snap Out of It" is a catchy, up-beat track that has a predictable rhythm and easy progression. It's not one of the most memorable songs on the record, but it does add a nice change of pace.
Back into darker space, "Knee Socks," is a sexy teaser with a falsetto-driven chorus, which leads up to the final track, "I Wanna Be Yours," a song that sounds like nothing else in the band's repertoire, but it's great.
It is western and hip-hop and bluesy all at once. Turner takes the words from one the band's longtime inspirations, punk poet John Cooper Clarke. The choice to close the album with this song shows where the band has arrived in its evolution. They have gone from being the little brothers of The Libertines and The Strokes to having a sound that is different from pretty much any band right now. They are masters of blending genres while sticking to a sound that is distinctly theirs.
The album as a whole is more drawn out than previous efforts. That is what's great about producing such expansive LPs — having 12 tracks gives a broader experience. Is it the band's best album? Not necessarily. But it is one of the best albums of the year so far, which goes to show the standards they are living up to. The writing on these tracks is as good as ever, even if they aren't as high energy or devious. But you never really get a "bad" album with the Arctic Monkeys as long as you are down for the ride.
Stream the album now on iTunes, and look for it on sale Sept. 10.
