Tracklist:
- Do I Wanna Know?
- R U Mine?
- One For The Road
- Arabella
- I Want It All
- No.1 Party Anthem
- Mad Sounds
- Fireside
- Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?
- Snap Out Of It
- Knee Socks
- I Wanna Be Yours
It's here! It's here! I've been patiently waiting for the new album, "AM", from the brilliant UK band, Arctic Monkeys. Can you tell I am a fan? If you haven't heard at least a little of these dudes, you are music deprived. I'm sorry, but someone had to tell you. But really, the music that these guys create is more alternative rock. Although, this album has got some funk bass lines and some rock and roll guitar. I've also noticed that, "AM", has some melodic backing vocals in every song. I found out, Josh Homme, from Queens Of The Stone Age did in fact help with some vocals and a bit of the album as well. It's a nice touch and different way to go from their previous albums. The backing vocals kind of remind me of the band, The Black Keys. From the vocals, guitar solos, to the way the songs are set up.
"Do I Wanna Know?" is the first track, and I like that this is the song they chose for the introduction to the album. It's got a hard steady beat throughout the song. But it's slow paced, like one of those 80's rock and roll bands when the guitar and drums are in sync with the same beat and rhythm.
"R U Mine?" is their second track and also one of my favorites. It's faster, and give you the chance to rock out. I love how vocalist/songwriter, Alex Turner, sing the lyrics so they are set up to fit in the song. For example, he will sing each word in the song, and they in the chorus it will jumble them all together, which makes the lyrics bounce. If that makes any sense? Haha. The guitar riff and solos in this song also remind me of, again, The Black Keys and Wolfmother for some reason. I think it's the tone of the guitar.
"One For The Road" and "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" are one of the funky songs that I liked. These songs also have the bouncy lyrics, with the funky bass lines and drum beats. "One For The Road" did in fact have a tambourine in the chorus, I have no idea why that's so cool to me. As I listen to the lyrics to this album, I noticed that the melodic words that are sung by Alex, are words of heart break. Poor Alex, you'll be okay buddy! "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" is a good heart break song, but it all ended with a crash! ....Symbol.
"Arabella", "I Want It All", and "No.1 Party Anthem" all in order, weren't my absolute favorite tracks on the album. But they were still good songs. "Arabella" is a good rock song, it's got a slow start and loud 80's feel chorus, they back to slow paced for the 2nd verse. "I Want It All" had the same guitar chords throughout the song, so it didn't "wow" me. But the guitar solos were excellent. "No.1 Party Anthem" sounds like a slow love ballad, its mainly drums and piano. Sadly, he's singing about broken love.
"Mad Sounds" and "Fireside" have different tones in each track. They each had piano but not just any ordinary piano, it's what I call, "church piano". That's pretty much the only way I can describe it. "Mad Sounds" is slower than "Fireside" but it's a good hangout song. "Fireside" has the heartbreak lyrics again, but has a fast drum beat and what sounds like patting in the background throughout the song.
"Snap Out Of It" is a good singalong with claps and drums with the same beat, and the piano has the same tempo as each of them. In the middle of the track, the drums, claps, and vocals are the only ones playing. I love it when bands do that. It builds my suspense and makes everything so epic.
"Knee Socks" is one of those songs that paints a picture in your head with the lyrics. The guitar bounces around as the lyrics are being sung. The steady drums of the song remind me of yet another band, The White Stripes. Sorry!
"I Wanna Be Yours" is a great song to end the album with. It's got a slow start with an echoing guitar. The lyrics are so lovely, it's a good love song.
"I wanna be your vacuum cleaner
Breathing in your dust
I wanna be your Ford Cortina
I won't ever rust
If you like your coffee hot
Let me be your coffee pot
You call the shots babe
I just wanna be yours"
How cute is that? Maybe, it's just because I'm a romantic, and a girl haha.
Yes, I know. I name dropped a few bands here and there. But, that was only to get you to know what I'm talking about. When it comes down to it, Arctic Monkeys have a sound all their own. Even though I wasn't crazy about a few songs, I still think that this was a really good album. It's not because I'm a fan either! Go buy this album now! NOW I TELL YA!
