Written by Chris Milz
In a day and age where hip-hop and pop music are taking over as the popular music forms in the United States, the English indie rock outfit the Arctic Monkeys have managed to skyrocket their popularity in America with their latest release, “AM,” which hit stores September 2013.
Receiving critical acclaim, the album peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart, eight slots higher than their 2011 release “Suck It and See.” Riding the album’s popularity, the band sold out a majority of concert dates in North America, including a performance at the Austin City Limits music festival, one of the biggest concert events in the United States.
From the opening dual-guitar riff on the album’s first track, “Do I Wanna Know,” the listener gets the feeling that the album has real potential, combing a steady, slow, nearly hypnotic drum beat along with frontman Alex Turner’s baritone voice.
Following the first track the album is, by and large, an album of contrast. The band kicks it into gear with the much more fast-paced “R U Mine?” which served as the lead single from the album. Driven by a strong beat from drummer Matt Helders, Turner provides a hectic, though very organized, vocal to the track, giving it the feeling of true British rock.
In stark contrast to “R U Mine?” are the slow, almost ballad-like tracks “Mad Sounds” and “No. 1 Party Anthem.” Both seem paradoxical to their titles, but they serve to show the versatility of the band, with the latter being driven by piano and drums, and Turner providing soft, comforting vocals on both tracks. “No. 1 Party Anthem” sounds almost soulful, incorporating the sounds of an organ with the overlaying guitar riff and vocal.
So far, and according to many critics, it can easily be said that “AM” is the best album of the band’s still young career (no member is over age 28). And, as it looks, they are only going upward from album to album. If this album is any indicator to trends of the future, many great things can be expected from the Arctic Monkeys for years to come.
