Beiträge

Album-Review: Arctic Monkeys – The Car

The singles are by far the strongest tracks from the new Arctic Monkeys album, "The Car".

With The Car, the Arctic Monkeys make a second album in the style of Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino; a jazzy, orchestral attempt at baroque pop with glimpses of glam rock a la David Bowie – only that they're not really good enough at it. The Car lacks energy, bite, strong melodies and pay-off moments. It's an album that goes over well while doing other stuff, but sitting down to it and listening isn't exciting as the songs rarely build up any tension or make you feel strong emotions. The songwriting and the arrangements are interesting, but they don't spark passion. This gets really apparent by the second half of the album. In the first half, the band change up things regularly, but later on, they run out of ideas. Everything is said and still Alex Turner keeps on delivering his lyrics and the musicians carry on with more of the same. The album sounds great but mostly there's not a lot to back it up. Turner kind of sums my thoughts up in the song Big Ideas:

I had big ideas, the band were so I excited. The kind you‘d rather not share on the phone. But now the orchestra’s got us all surrounded. And I cannot for the life of me remember how they go.

6 / 10

  1. There’d Better Be A Mirrorball | 80 
  2. I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am | 80 
  3. Sculptures of Anything Goes | 70 
  4. Jet Skis On The Moat | 60 
  5. Body Paint | 80 
  6. The Car | 65 
  7. Big Ideas | 70 
  8. Hello You | 60 
  9. Mr. Schwartz | 60 
  10. Perfect Sense | 65