Arctic Monkey’s have just released their third album ‘Humbug’ and I must say I’m disappointed. From their first album to this one there is such a vast change of sound and meaning in the lyrics. They seem to have moved away from their roots and Alex has lost his accent and presence in the band. I know they have been working with Queen of the Stone Age on this album and it shows with the new psychedelic sound, rather than the rough sound on their first album.
Since Alex decided to collaborate and experiment with his side project ‘The Last Shadow Puppets’ he’s lost focus of what the Arctic Monkeys are about. I really thought that they could be the next Oasis, especially with their first album being so phenomenal.
‘Whatever people say I am that is what I’m not’ was ground breaking and was the fastest selling record of all time. I first caught eye of them on the culture show and I said to myself that they are going to be massive. It was because they represented a proper working class band like Oasis, representing Sheffield and their way of life. Alex’s lyrics could relate to everyone and had meaning.
Their second album was more poppy and crisp in sound, nothing like their first album at all. I don’t understand why bands change so much, i.e. The Killers have gone from indie to pop Ballards. I suppose people love the new sound of the Killers and the Monkeys, I mean bands change in age and experiment I understand that but some lose their orginal spark. They have good catchy songs, but just no story to them.
I think Alex is getting too big for his boots, he is still an amazing writer and singer but he’s lost the original spark that the Arctic Monkeys had, because of the fame and other projects I guess.
Bands like Kings of Leon will carry on making the same music because they don’t lose focus on what they are good at. I loved their first album ‘Red Morning Light’ which didn’t get much recognition than their new album.
I suppose everyone has their own taste and new fans will follow AM, but I’m affraid guys you’ve lost an old fan here.
Since Alex decided to collaborate and experiment with his side project ‘The Last Shadow Puppets’ he’s lost focus of what the Arctic Monkeys are about. I really thought that they could be the next Oasis, especially with their first album being so phenomenal.
‘Whatever people say I am that is what I’m not’ was ground breaking and was the fastest selling record of all time. I first caught eye of them on the culture show and I said to myself that they are going to be massive. It was because they represented a proper working class band like Oasis, representing Sheffield and their way of life. Alex’s lyrics could relate to everyone and had meaning.
Their second album was more poppy and crisp in sound, nothing like their first album at all. I don’t understand why bands change so much, i.e. The Killers have gone from indie to pop Ballards. I suppose people love the new sound of the Killers and the Monkeys, I mean bands change in age and experiment I understand that but some lose their orginal spark. They have good catchy songs, but just no story to them.
I think Alex is getting too big for his boots, he is still an amazing writer and singer but he’s lost the original spark that the Arctic Monkeys had, because of the fame and other projects I guess.
Bands like Kings of Leon will carry on making the same music because they don’t lose focus on what they are good at. I loved their first album ‘Red Morning Light’ which didn’t get much recognition than their new album.
I suppose everyone has their own taste and new fans will follow AM, but I’m affraid guys you’ve lost an old fan here.
Alex Turner is Britain’s most promising young songwriter. You say you don’t know why bands change. Well. at the risk of sounding patronising, artists change and grow. Turner’s got three or four decades of growth to fulfill.
ReplyDeleteI was around in the 60s and I saw how the The Beatles blossomed between ’62 and ’69. If they’d kept on mimicking “Please Please Me” there’d have been no “Sgt Pepper.” Next album up, AM will be level with “Rubber Soul” but a bit younger. Watch this space.
I did say bands 'change in age and experiment', and I understand that's part of them growing and the influence of others. But you look at Oasis, album after album they have not been influnced by others, they have their sound and have keept to it. I'm not saying bands shouldn't grow and change, just that AM in particular have gone too far from what they were and the reason why I liked them.
ReplyDeleteJust saying AM arn't the same now then they were in their first album, I totally understand they have a long future ahead of them. However, I just think they have lost something in this album. I'm not having a go at them, it's just my opinon.
Also I DID say Alex is an amazing writer and singer and i'm sure he will continue to be with or without the AM behind him. You could be right they could formulate into something bigger but I don't think they will go back to how they sounded in their first album, and that's what i'm trying to say.
I agree with you Steph but I don't think we can expect the Arctic Monkeys to stay the same simply because they are so young. They produced that classic first album which will always be popular through future generations. As for the Beatles, I never liked the Sgt Pepper era but I did love the Please Please Me sound and that is the one I remember them for so many years after they disbanded.
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