During the past decade Sheffield England’s Arctic Monkeys have firmly established themselves as one of Britain’s most successful bands. Winners of seven Brit Awards including three for Best Album and three for Best Group, they are also recipients of the UK’s prestigious Mercury Prize for their 2006 debut Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, the fastest selling debut album in UK chart history. All six of their albums entered the UK music charts in the number one position including their most recent Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino which also has the distinction of being the UK’s fastest selling vinyl record of the last 25 years. But is it any good? In a word, yes. Very. After a five-year hiatus, due in part to a lengthy stretch of writer’s block suffered by lead singer Alex Turner, the band has re-emerged much changed from its former self. Gone is the guitar centric post-punk revival indie garage rock of the past surprisingly usurped by none other than the smooth sophistication of a Steinway Vertegrand (aka upright) piano. A gift on the occasion of his 30th birthday, Turner began plucking away at the instrument in a spare room of his Los Angeles home seeking inspiration in the works of Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini, distant childhood memories and obsessing over high concept science fiction. The end result lies somewhere between Prince’s brilliant 2014 sci-fi opus Art Official Age and last year’s delightfully highbrow Chateau Marmont-themed Room 29 collaboration between Jarvis Cocker and pianist Chilly Gonzales on the world renowned Deutsche Grammophon classical music label. From the opening track Turner & Co do their best Brian Wilson inspired wall-of-sound Pet Sounds slam right down to the last vibraphone hit and Farfisa swirl. Turner, channeling his inner Ziggy Stardust, adopts the role of narrator for some serious glam blam thank you ma’am throughout much of the 41 minutes of futuristic escapism spinning through Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’s densely lyrical 11 tracks. No matter how unlikely it once seemed that Arctic Monkeys would one day become purveyors of an arty post-millennial concept album it is still nonetheless most refreshing to see such a firmly established act reaching well beyond the limitations of their own proven formula for success. With Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Arctic Monkeys boldly forge ahead taking chances outside their comfort zone to try something different. Shouldn’t we all? Truly inspiring. Truly inspired.
Rating: 9/10
Star Rating: 4/5
2018 Song Of The Day Club Album Review 19/52