THE CAR

Sophia Cook
Oct 31, 2022
4 min read

Updated: Apr 4, 2023

Arctic Monkeys’ new album, The Car, is the perfect follow up to their 2018 release, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. The Car is made unique by the alluring orchestra that we hear throughout the album. It’s also quite apparent that the vibe of the music could not be more cohesive with the lyrics than they already are. If you want Arctic Monkeys to keep making songs similar to 505 and Knee Socks, then you may not like this more mature record. However, I do think that it’s a very beautiful place for the band to land at.

The opening track, There’d Better Be A Mirrorball, was released as the first single on August 30th. When I initially listened to this song, I was a bit taken aback, how I can assume most of their fans were. Naturally, I expected something more similar to their 2013 release, AM. That album, for me, defines the band's sound. However, I kept an open mind, and the jazz inspired song has tremendously grown on me. Written and sung by Arctic Monkeys’ frontman Alex Turner, Mirrorball establishes the darker tone that the album will embody. The other two singles off the record, Body Paint, and I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am, do not disappoint. The latter had such a more upbeat sound to it, proving to me that this album is more fun than it comes across to be. The dramatic orchestra utterly aligns with the disoriented and lost lyrics. Body Paint is a track that grabs your attention and takes you wherever it wants to go. There’s a sudden energy shift from the verses to the chorus, and again with the guitar solo towards the back half of the song, which categorizes as more of a rock ballad.

Some of the songs leave lyrical stories unfinished. People have said that it sounds messy because of this, but I feel that it builds the mysterious sound that The Car is aiming for. Songs such as Sculptures Of Anything Goes and the title track are exact illustrations of this. Though the lyrics may not completely make sense together, there is still a grand vision for both of these tracks. Sculptures is one of my favorites on the album, which could be because the punchy percussion has caught my attention. Overall, the band's work on this song truly expresses the concept of this album, not to mention the stunning precision of the artistic work. Turner has said that the title track was inspired by the artwork that would later become the album cover. Arctic Monkeys drummer, Matt Helders, produced this photoshoot with the isolated Corolla atop the LA parking garage. It’s one of the more ominous songs on the album, due to the string section. This song, to me, is a depiction of childhood memories, summarized by the line “and you pretend to fall asleep on the way back”.

Big Ideas is one of the best on the album. It seems to be the narrative of exactly what Arctic Monkeys, specifically Turner, are experiencing during the recording of this album. It gives listeners insight to what he’s thinking, singing, “but now the orchestra’s got us all surrounded / and I cannot for the life of me remember how they go”. Songs such as Hello You and Perfect Sense contain more 70s inspired texture. Many people have said that there’s a David Bowie flair to this album. I believe that the orchestral rock and baroque pop sound is prevalent in this Arctic Monkeys era. It fits them really well while they’re developing as a band. The closing track Perfect Sense has a more uplifting vocal performance than the rest of the album.

I haven’t been listening to Arctic Monkeys since their first album in 2006. It’s been only a few months since I began to invest myself into this band. Regardless, I think it’s safe to say that they’ve proven themselves to be one of the most versatile bands over the course of their career. The Car is, in my opinion, the epitome of how much the band has grown. The use of the orchestra on this album is very evolved, and the vocals are more impressive than they have been in the past. While it’s a bit disappointing to know that Arctic Monkeys aren’t going to revert to their old sound again, it’s exciting that they’re looking to the future with this lush sounding music. The Car is different from the rest of their catalog, but their new energy is much more enchanting. Go into this record with an open mind and a taste for divine artistry. Listen to The Car and sink into the revived spirit of Arctic Monkeys.