The Arctic Monkey’s universally acclaimed 5th album, “AM”, makes it clear that this band is not to be taken lightly. The British boy band, formed in 2002, features Alex Turner on lead vocals and the lead guitar, Jamie Cook on the rhythm and lead guitar, Nick O’Malley on the bass guitar, and Matt Helders on the drums. Having been nominated for two Grammy Awards and winning five Brit Awards the band has had great success practically from the start.
With previously strong albums, AM stands out for its clear sound and feel. The album provides something for everyone with slower ballads, like “No.1 Party Anthem”, as well as songs with stronger roots in rock and roll, like “Do I Wanna Know,” which remains not only the best selling song of the album, but the band’s best selling song of all time.
Unlike many of their contemporaries, the Arctic Monkey’s lyrics are poetic and meaningful. Alex Turner writes for the band and described to The Guardian that “A lot of tunes on there describe scenarios that sometimes feel like a surrealist painting. I remember it from when we first started: going out, winding up at a club and it didn’t seem to make sense. It felt like a never-ending staircase.” His lyrics cover a broad range of emotions and have shown his growth as an artist. The songs of AM succeed in expanding the fan base, while keeping old fans satisfied. Though the band has clearly evolved over the years, they have always stayed faithful to their sound, which can often mark the difference between a good band and a great band. For an album with heavy rock and roll influences with a modern take, AM is a work of art.