My love for Arctic Monkeys needs no introduction.
If you have read my post scrutinising all the previous Arctic Monkeys albums, then you will already be aware of my feelings towards their recent developments. For those that haven't read it: in a nutshell, initially the release of Tranquility Base shocked me, but it grew on me, and I have really come to appreciate the maturity developments in the band that is shown by the new dynamics of the tracks.
Without question, the foundation for this was laid down by their fifth studio album, AM, but I don't think anyone was quite expecting the level of change that hit within the album. I have heard a mixed bag of responses to it, but for me, it is a perfect show of how they have grown both in age and musicianship which, hand in hand, perfectly complement each other.
The new single continues in the direction of the rich maturity of Tranquility Base, cementing my previous predictions of what to expect from the upcoming album 'The Car'.
Alex's voice here takes on a soulful tone that enriches and enhances the smooth feel of the track. His lyricism, as always, is perfection but this time has taken a more mature approach which simply feels like a comfort blanket. I love how this track can be interpreted in so many different ways and on the surface it is so ambiguous. But, as always, reading between his metaphors and imagery, a core meaning can be tailored to the audience's own interpretation.
Arctic Monkeys never veer from their authenticity which is something I respect about them. There are some bands that are still trying to cling on to their early days of fame, despite it being 20 years on. In other cases, bands change so much that they are completely unrecognisable from the music people first fell in love with. In some cases, this works, but personally I feel on most occasions that I would rather a band be true to themselves and the natural progression. The Arctic Monkeys have hit the sweet spot here: they have clearly developed, matured and grown into a new direction, but in doing so they have taken the original roots with them and developed them too as a backbone.
Not only have they done this as demonstrated through their new single, 'There'd Better Be A Mirrorball', but they continued with this new, maturer soulful style in their recent live performances. For example, watching their Reading set (not live, unfortunately) they are still playing their old tracks but with a new spin on them. They are slightly slowed with a swinging, soulful essence which combines everything I love about the Arctic Monkeys. They are still staying true to themselves, still playing all the hits the fans love, but showing how they have developed as musicians, and essentially letting their older music grow with them too.
Timeless tracks that are maturing beautifully and authentically. That is pretty special.