It is clear to see from the promotional images for 'AM' how far Arctic Monkeys have come since releasing debut 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not' way back in 2006. Gone are the polo shirts and questionable jackets; instead, Sheffield's finest are suited and booted, dressed to the nines and looking serious. The band have embraced the big-time more and more with each new record, and 'AM' seems set to continue this trajectory.
Indeed, there is something truly big about some of the tracks on this record. 'One For The Road' snakes along, burrowing into the ears and building more and more momentum but never quite overflowing into complete chaos. Although it has been available for consumption for some time, 'R U Mine' still packs the same punch it did on the very first listen. Many dedicate their careers to finding that one magic, earth-shattering riff; few succeed, and even fewer get it so right. Combine such a riff with a drawling, sneering Alex Turner and you've got a bona fide hit on your hands.
As with previous Arctic Monkeys albums, however, these glowing praises must be tempered with a reluctant but necessary "but ...". In this case, there are some moments on 'AM' that, quite frankly, don't feel like they belong on an Arctic Monkeys record at all. 'Knee Socks' contains a rather strange moment where the band seem to be channelling their inner Justin Timberlake in an awkward acapella falsetto, while 'I Wanna Be Yours' has the cringe-worthy lines "I wanna be your vacuum cleaner/Breathing in your dust/I wanna be your Ford Cortina/I won't ever rust". After the gritty realism of Turner's early lyrics, to hear this cannot be anything but a little soul-destroying.
There is no question that Arctic Monkeys have evolved and adapted their sound, mostly for the better, and their ability to churn out the hits has been a sure and steady constant throughout their career to date. Even so, the experimental urge can lead to failures as well as successes, and no one is immune to this effect. It is an unavoidable circumstance and, in the end, one that Arctic Monkeys will not feel too strongly; their reputation solidified, they have much less to lose now than they once did.
6/10
Pre-order 'AM' here
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