First off let me say that I am aware that AM came out quite a few months ago and for many loyal Arctic Monkey fans the songs have been ingrained into their minds, hearts, and even skin. I’m a late comer on the Monkey wagon and I did not get my hands on a copy of AM until Christmas, where I proceeded to listen to it on repeat where ever I was, (for any fellow house keepers out there it’s a great album to listen to while cleaning).
I had heard of the Arctic Monkeys a few times while I was making my way through high school. It was the period of my life where I was still searching for that gateway band that would lead me towards the artists that would inspire me to find and make more amazing music. However, the Arctic Monkeys did not hold the key to that hidden gate- I just thought that they had a cool name but never bothered to listen to them and when I did I wasn’t that impressed. I was into the pop stuff that played on the radio. Eventually, a good friend of mine gave me Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, but I still wasn’t ready; I ended up skipping each song whenever it came up on my iTunes.
I finally found my gateway band… or bands I should say. It began with The Avett Brothers, the Decemberists, and too many others to name, which lead to Mumford & Sons. That is where I was able to open up to more bands, more musicians, and more possibilities. The Arctic Monkeys were waiting for me, amps buzzing. The first song I heard from AM was Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High? And I fell in love. There’s something about the bass line that I can’t put into words. It’s simple yet sublime. After listening to the song several times I finally realized that the singer, Alex Turner, isn’t talking about someone calling him. He’s talking about himself, and how he can’t stop himself from ringing this girl whenever he’s had a little too much.
That’s another reason why I like this band. A lot of their songs talk about how they drink too much and make stupid decisions, but they aren’t glamorizing it, they are telling it like it is, in a very poetic rock n’roll way. I love that AM moves from hard rock to slow bluesy guitar riffs and then slaps you in face with some more wailing guitar solos. The album constantly keeps you on your toes and makes you wish you were wearing a leather jacket and smoking a cigarette.
The last song, I Wanna Be Yours, made me giggle the first time I heard it. It starts off with Turner describing how he wants to be inanimate objects so that he can do all of these things for his girl, sounds silly at first but when you read the lyrics it’s actually quite sexy. Turner says, “If you like your coffee hot/Let me be your coffee pot/You call the shots babe/I just wanna be yours”. It’s clear his devotion runs deep and he’s not afraid of expressing it.
Much of this album is about a man who needs to know if the woman he loves is actually his. Again, the Arctic Monkeys don’t back away from their insecurities. Many of these songs are asking if this relationship is actually going to happen or if it can be awakened. The Arctic Monkeys are definitely not for everyone. When I was listening to them the other day at a friend’s house her grandma walked in and announced that it sounded like there were two different bands playing at the same time, but she’s in the minority. Overall the album is fantastic and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who wants some in-your-face rock with clever lyrics.
©Arctic Monkeys 2013
Autumn Micketti 