Amidst all the hullaballoo surrounding the release of the Arctic Monkeys' fifth album AM, it's easy to forget that their previous two efforts - 2009's Humbug and 2011's Suck It & See - didn't exactly set the world alight. The former, the band's first dalliance with QOTSA's Josh Homme, saw them at their murkiest, firmly exploring the darker elements of their sound but at the expense of the tunefulness which embodied their two previous, shinier, releases. Two years following that, and with Homme busy working on his own projects, Alex Turner and his band returned to more familiar ground with Suck It & See- a complete one-eighty from the apocalyptic swagger which Homme infuses into everything he puts his name to.
What was interesting to note was that what each of those records excelled at was exactly what the other one was missing. Humbug could have done with some of the more technically composed elements of Suck It & See which, in itself, was completely lacking in the raw power of its predecessor. What AM has done is merge these two very distinct elements of the Arctic Monkeys sound together to form the band's most complete album yet.
It's immediately obvious from the outset that Alex Turner is at the absolute height of his powers as a songwriter and lyricist. Opening with the slow groove of the Black Keys-esque 'Do I Wanna Know?' and the fierce rocker 'R U Mine?', both of which were released in single form some time ago, almost all of AM is worthy of repeat listens. 'Arabella' is Alex Turner in full-on 'rock god' mode, while the more considered 'No. 1 Party Anthem' shows that Turner is still capable of a deft touch amidst all the menacing noise.
What makes Turner so interesting to listen to is the vernacular with which he writes his songs. Perhaps not since Morrissey has the UK produced a songwriter who concisely harnesses local phrasing and repackages it with added gusto. If indeed Turner is Morrissey in this analogy, then drummer Matt Helders is very much his Johnny Marr. Helders was already one of the finest rock drummer around but his nuanced backing vocals have added another element to the band, especially on songs like 'Do I Wanna Know?' and 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?'.
AM is the Arctic Monkeys best record yet. A decade ago, when we first heard of these guys, they were touted as the most promising British rock act in years and now, they've firmly delivered on that promise.
Review by John Balfe | FOUR POINT FIVE STARS
