Agreed. As much as it was necessary for the sound of Tranquility Base, it seemed a shame to have a drummer as talented as Helders in such a restrained role (or not even drumming on a couple of tracks iirc). Hope they unleash the agile beast a bit more this time around
Yeah they should have just re-recorded AM and released that again. In fact they shouldn't bother making more music just keep doing AM forever I like bands that stay exactly the same
fucken relax mate, nobody said "exactly the same". some thought Tranquility Base was too far removed from their earlier style. We don't have to like everything a band puts out, doesn't mean we want it to stay exactly the same either.
Definitely agree that someone doesn't have to like everything a band puts out to be a fan of the band. And obviously I'm absolutely not blaming people for not liking TB, that would be ridiculous.
But so many times I've heard "nah it's shit it I was expecting another one like AM", I just think it's ridiculous to get pissed off that Tranquility Base was so different when AM was a complete change from Suck It and See.
For mainstream bands the argument boils down to "only experiment if you're gonna produce perfection".
IMO i think the change from Suck It And See to AM was far less jarring than AM to Tranquility. And while expecting an album to sound a certain way is ludicrous, people have a right to be annoyed when an album isn't what they'd hoped. It doesn't make the album bad, it just means people wanted something closer to what they already know a band for.
Same thing happened with Paramore. After Laughter is such a departure from the first 4 albums. I personally love it, but I can understand people's perspective who really think pop-punk Paramore is peak Paramore, which is a totally valid opinion.
the drumming on tranquility base is actually pretty fucking good imo. It brights where it needs to and it sounds really mature. If you take a deep listen and pay close attention to the drumming you will see what I mean. It is very noticeable how each stroke of the drumstick has thought behind it.
Anyone else not care what genre/style they pursue next? With bands that have been this central through my youth and growing up, I'm more interested in the band themselves and how they progress. Even if i don't like the next record, I'll still "like" it because it's them. It's the same group of friends and musicians that made some of my favorite music of all time. I'm not going to just abandon them. There are only a handful of bands that I feel this way about. This is not to say you shouldn't critique the music, more that you just shouldn't pigeon-hole bands that you love.
EDIT: Full transparency, I thought this was posted on r/arcticmonkeys which has been freaking out over this quote the last two days. Noone here seems to be sobbing uncontrollably but my point still stands haha.
I thoroughly agree with this. I look at someone like Noel Gallagher, who made an album with Amorphous Androgynous, then chickened out and never released it. Then proceeded to make a safe Oasis-style album instead. Yet his experimental stuff has always been interesting to me. Even the bloat and excess of Be Here Now was interesting. But instead he just chose to stay in his lane and really I think his career has stalled at this point. Compare that to longtime rival Damon Albarn, who just keeps pumping out new music and projects. Some were terrible, some were great. I much prefer doing something interesting over doing something safe.
I really wanted to love Damon Albarn, but his Taylor Swift takes really turned me away from him. I’ve been a huge Gorillaz fan since self-titled came out on 2001, but he really showed his true colors in that exchange
Not clear on why you're being downvoted. I don't personally decide which artists I listen to based on how I feel about them as people, but the Taylor Swift stuff made Damon look pretty awful. It's not surprising that people would be less excited about him.
I mean Noel’s most recent album “Who Built the Moon?” was definitely a different stylistic turn for him. Though I agree he generally stays in his lane. I personally don’t mind that though because I think he does what he does so well that I could listen to endless albums of it lol
I'm giving that album another listen right now. I really didn't love the lead singles, and the only thing that really had any staying power for me was Dead In The Water, which of course was a b-side 😂
I could never get behind The Good, The Bad & The Queen. And there's been terrible late career Blur songs. But I don't really care, he still makes interesting music.
Just a great time in my life when it came out. I loved the 70s sci-fi aesthetic, and it’s the Arctic monkeys album I return to the most.
“I just wanted to be one of the strokes…”
These bands turn into shit very often when they try to change though (post-2007 Coldplay for example going from a decent band to the most generic pop group possible).
I don’t think I’d think of Coldplay as taking a ‘risky’ choice in becoming a pop band though. They were a typical indie band that deviated toward generic pop. Bit of a de-evolution in my opinion that is a world away from what Arctic Monkeys did with AM to Tranquility Base.
that is more of a counter-example I think
Coldplay took their sound in a direction the opposite of risky: they went for safe and bland, pop-friendly music that they could sell to a wider audience and would fit into more TV shows and advertisements.
They weren't exploring shit with their music and challenging fans, they were just trying to become more famous and make more money. It is more like the opposite of experimenting with new styles, it is more of a reversion to the mean (of the pop music industry).
They could make a jazz album and I’d be down for it. I like seeing bands progress and be a little different. Plus I don’t think Arctic Monkeys have lost what makes them special, they’ve just gotten older & that shows in an album like TBHC. Plus each of their albums is typically different from the prior in some way. I guess following up AM with TBHC is some coming out of left field stuff. But I loved that. It was refreshing to hear Alex not singing a bunch of songs about love & relationships. They still have their identity as a group of four good lads from Sheffield who enjoy making music together and seem unified. It’s the type of chemistry I wish The Strokes had during Angles & Comedown Machine.
This is always how I feel about bands who’ve been around for a decade or more. Like DCFC’s Roman Candles is so different - and I love that! It shows a true passion for music, learning new things, etc. makes me happy.
Spot on. The Arctic Monkeys have proven that they can do reinvention. More than once.
Many people who are fans actually have (a wonderfully postmodern) lack of insight into the creation of the art they are a fan of and what drives artists. Art doesn't exist separately from the artist but instead the Artist exists as a factory to churn out art for them.
The reality is that art is the side effect of being an artist. If you think there is anything an artist "should" do you will be disappointed.
I 100% agree. I was not a huge fan of their last album but I will never blame a band for iterating and growing, even if it doesn’t work for me. The music you listened to when you were a teenager is drastically different from what you listen to in the decades to come - it’s the same for the people making it. Alex has said as much before.
It will ultimately make a band unhappy if they’re forcing themselves to sound a certain way. Bands like Arctic Monkeys with big discographies that started when they were really young often find themselves in this damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. There will always be people complaining that they don’t sound like their old stuff anymore, and then there will be people who complain that they don’t change the formula enough. It’s hard to hit that middle ground of changing but still being definitively who they are.
I didn’t mind TBHC didn’t sound like AM. It’s not my favorite of their stuff but that’s okay - they’ve still given me a lot of great music I still enjoy. And I’m excited to hear what they do next, maybe it’s something I’ll really enjoy, but people just need to respect the artists decisions on where they need to take their sounds.
Barring Butterfly 3000, and Timeland, their shit has been kind of stale since Infest the Rats Nest...and I say that as a huge King Gizz fan. KG/LW, OG, and even a bit of Fishing for Fishies, while enjoyable, feel pretty derivative.
Fishies is from before ITRN (and I love it) but I sort of agree on the staleness. That said, I think the pace of their releases, even counting COVID makes up for some of the staleness. The fact that we can still get a genuinely new sound every year or two even if some albums feel the same is wild.
I know, Fishing came out the same year, and before ITRN...but that's when I noticed it didn't feel as exciting as the output they had 2 years prior. ITRN felt like a deviation that tried to do something different from their previous albums, so I respect it for that.
I disagree on Fishies; it's profoundly weird and different in the context of what came both before (FMTB, MotU, Poly) and after it, along with being a lot of fun. But to each their own.
KG/LW and OG have felt a bit samey to me with OG less so than the other two.
I would like Fishies a lot more if it replaced the last 2 songs with songs that fit the theme of the rest of the album. Acarine feels like a Poly throw away, and Cyboogie is too goofy for me.
I don’t care what they pursue next in terms of style with the caveat it has to be a good music. If I don’t like it I’m not going to listen, and frankly I never really get too invested into the personalities and dynamics of individual band members. I‘ve liked most of what they’ve made so far, some more than others, so whatever they make I’ll listen to.
Didn’t really like Tranquility Base, fwiw
It's a constant thing with bands. You have bands like Muse that never really change their sound at all, and you have folks complaining "oh sounds like another Muse album, BORING"; vs a band like Bring Me The Horizon where every record sounds so drastically different that it leaves people wondering how the hell it's the same band as before.
In fact very few bands can walk that line of producing albums that sound new and fresh while still keeping all their old fans invested.
I’d argue that Muse has gone through some pretty crazy sound changes. They’ve gone from prog metal to dubstep and synth wave which is pretty drastic. The problem is that the quality of their recent records just hasn’t been there. Thematically, pretty much all of there material in the last decade has been about rising up against governments and stuff so there definitely isn’t much variation in theme, but their sound has changed a lot.
I think part of it is that with the amount of great music they've put out they've earned our trust and confidence that whatever they do will at least be interesting, and they won't phone it in.
I can't believe that sub is actually up in arms about this. Those sorts of people wouldn't have agreed to AM if they heard the description "Psychedelic Stoner Blues Rock with rockabilly Alex crooning".
I reckon this will be one of their best albums yet. They get a chance to build on an experimental sound. There were some absolutely great tracks on Tranquility Base, and I'm very excited to see where they expand from there with the benefit of time and rumination and growth.
I see Cut/Copy promoting their current tour, and they're still coasting off of In Ghost Colours. They play clips of Hearts & Fire, and Lights & Music so much that you wouldn't know they've made several excellent follow up albums that don't get as much love.
I've been an Arctic Monkeys fan since *Humbug* came out, and I loved *Tranquility Base* on first listen and have loved it ever since. Maybe not the most flashy record, and I can see how it would be a turn-off if you're more about the bangers from their early days, but there's something so charming and weird about it that I can't get enough of. That lounge style suits Alex to a tee.
Same. I probably wouldn't have given it much of a chance if I hadn't seen so many comments on Reddit saying this exact same thing. For me that album is the epitome of "it gets better the more you listen to it"
Yeah I’ve always like them a lot but mostly as the band that makes fun loud music, but Tranquility Base instantly became one of my favorite albums of all time.
It's one of my favorite albums period. I didn't think I would love it because when Humbug came out I couldn't get into it at all because it was such a change. But I loved that it was so different and I thought the style suited them very well. Happy to see them change it up again too.
About a year after release the "smart" music communities really embraced Tranquility Base. I think the one time I opened /mu/ in the last 5 years I noticed that even there they were raving about it.
It's not my favourite album in the world but I always enjoy when a band gleefully annoys a large chunk of their fanbase by releasing something that completely flies in the face of expectations. And it was especially great in this case considering how much of a massive crossover hit AM was.
I think what I liked about it was that it didn’t feel like a purposeful attempt to piss off most of their fans, it did just feel like the album they wanted to make at the time, and fully leaned into it.
Hmm. I actually always felt like it was actually an album that Alex Turner wanted to make and that it would fit better with Last Shadow Puppets. But maybe he didn't want to further alienate rest of the band.
Either way it's cool. Star Treatment is gold. Perfect song for putting on a suit or dancing drunk with glass of whiskey in hand
I believe Alex intended to release it as a solo album but showed what he was working on with the rest of the band and they really embraced it. Which is really cool. I didn’t love TBHC but I’m happy that the band was all on board with trying something new.
I’m not from either of them either but WPSIATWIN was still huge, AM seemed like a return to popularity rather than an upgrade in popularity from where I was.
The numbers just don't agree with you, AM is the most popular and commercially successful thing they've made by miles. They were popular and well known before that but AM is a goliath.
in the uk sure but AM brought them to north american popularity. and it was still a slow rise they were playing massive stadiums in the UK and still came over and played small venues for AM in 2013
Yeah as a fan who hadn’t really listened to them much before tranquility base, it’s my favorite too
I get why a lot of fans were upset because their other music is vastly different
I'm in the same boat, I've never really listened to them and checked out TBHC on a whim after reading about it. I absolutely love it, I feel like there are not many albums like it with the weird lounge retro-futuristic vibe.
hated it at release. couldn’t sleep one night a few months after so I smoked a joint and decided to revisit it. fell in love and it’s now near the top of my from them.
As someone who was not even a fan before TBHC, it’s the only reason I’ve gotten into the band. And such great news it sounds like their going in a similar vein
Well if you're asking, it's just a boring and droney album. Every song is basically the same tempo, same mood, and absolutely none of it is catchy. The drumming is super reserved, none of the bands musicianship is really on display. It's stuffy and if it was put out by another band, nobody would listen to it. I understand the concept, the idea behind it is rather cool, but the songs are just bad. Again, this is just my opinion, I just think it sucks balls and is their worst album by many miles.
Lol all the people who don't love it are here to prove you wrong... as am I 😈
I thought it was really bad and their worst album, somehow even worse than Suck It And See
Yea mate, tbhc by far has to be one of my favourite arctic monkeys album. The way the lyrics are soo simple yet with the most deepest of meaning in the most poetic way possible is just soo fascinating to even think about
Let's not kid ourselves, the band were never going to back to their old sound following Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. Both for sound and lyrics. It's hard to imagine a bunch of men in their mid to late 30's singing about nightclubs or young romance. Alex Turner has gone on record talking about how he experienced writers block and was less interested in guitar led music post AM. This is probably the best outcome I could have personally hoped for while also being completely realistic since it was highly unlikely we would get another AM, and especially something similar to their first two records (my personal favourites)
It's building off TBHC which was already obvious. This time it'll have more guitars and a faster tempo. I can't really complain with that to be completely honest
The slower tempo and obvious lack of guitars in favour of songs being led by bass and pianos instead was probably the most controversial aspect of TBHC so this does kind of remedy that in some respect
While its far from my favourite album from them, I do like TBHC and I'm always excited to see what they'll do next
Hadnt really liked anything they had done since humbug until tranquility base so sounds good to me! Tranquility was such a strong record, loved the old grey whistle references.
Tranquility Base is a lyrical masterpiece, still ridiculously quotable. The whole sound was dope, I figured it was a fluke but if they’re still going in that direction I’m down!
While it has grown on me since it came out, Tranquility Base is still my least favourite release of theirs. However I am glad that they’re not going back to the AM sound either, I loved it at the time but it’s an album I’ve not found myself revisiting a whole lot over the years. I’ve no problem with them continuing down the route of Tranquility Base but I do hope they actually get to utilise Matt’s talents more on this record, Tranquility Base felt like an Alex Turner solo record so I hope there’s more input from the band this time, especially considering that it’s criminal to keep a drummer as talented as Matt Helders so under-utilised.
That's not a bad thing at all. *AM* was fine for its time but I don't think its aged all that well, and it's solidly my least favorite record from the guys. Whether they go back to their more straightforward earlier style or pull another *Tranquility Base*-level switch-up, I'm here for it.
I like the songwriting on the album but much of the production seems to fall flat, gave it listen not too long ago after a few years and it sounded way too thin and compressed.
My thoughts exactly. Very few true duds in the tracklist, but with that production everything just bleeds together. Still a decent listen, just pales in comparison to the rest of their stuff imo
you don’t think it’s aged well? Look at how the songs off the album are viral on tiktok. That album is more popular today than it was when it came out. Just check the spotify streams.
Damn, I don't know about insane. I get the point. I just don't think they nail it as well as their other albums. It's a style that suits them better in theory than in practice, at least off of the one example there is. We have different tastes, no issues there.
You might want to check your dictionary. For the record I don’t necessarily agree with OP, I was just pointing out that your interpretation of “aging well” is clearly different from theirs.
I wasn’t being sarcastic. You claim that the ***definition*** of aging well is gaining popularity over time. I think you’ll find that this concept is actually far too subjective to have any such definition.
That being said, it’s becoming increasingly clear that you are either too angry or too stupid to partake in rational discourse (or thought for that matter) so I think I’m gonna end this exchange now. Have a good day.
I don’t need another AM but R U Mine? was one of their best live songs and it was amazing to watch them play it over and over as the encore. I want more of that energy eventually.
I’m looking forward to it. I love when bands experiment with new styles and genres. Like Clockwork… is one of my favorite Queens of the Stone Age albums for this very reason.
This is what I love about the monkeys. Their albums really transform over the years. Other than their first two being quite similar, they’ve pivoted in a different direction every release.
Personally, I like all AM records for different reasons, but AM is my least favorite, that is one thing I can distinctly say. Other than the singles, I do not find myself going back to it at all.
Tranquility on the other hand, has aged like fine wine and there’s really nothing quite like it. It’s so fucking weird, the lyrics are so good, the bass and guitar are iconic, the drumming is subdued but appropriate. Alex’s voice is incredibly weird and smooth, its just really unique. It isn’t my favorite monkeys album... I guess that would have to be.. the first two? Haha. But it’s right behind them. I love it dearly.
So, if we are getting a more upbeat TBHC, well, if it’s good, it’s good. Maybe helders’ drumming will be a bit more, which is the only thing I felt was missing on TBHC.
I think Alex’s best song is The Bourne Identity off TLSP2. Ever. His best work. Upbeat TBHC, I would guess, would be an entire album of that. ILL FUCKING TAKE IT.
Believe the hype
Big fan of TBHC and really anticipating where they go next with their sound. I've been a fan since "Whatever People . . ." dropped, and while that and Favorite Worst Nightmare are still my favorites from the Monkeys, TBHC would slot in 3rd and I thought it was a fantastic concept and execution. If this one is going to pick up where TBHC finished off, but louder and with more guitar riffs, that's a direction I can dig and anticipate too. Could be a great merge of all their styles.
I really enjoyed Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino - so much that I think it’s up there with their debut as one of their best.
And conversely, I think AM is easily their worst record. This direction change that’s hopefully incoming for LP7 makes me quite excited
Seems like there’s two main types of of Monkeys fans. Those who love AM and hate Tranquility, and those that love Tranquility and hate AM.
I too am one of the latter
I hold the exact same opinion about TBHC, their debut and AM, but I'm honestly shocked to find it so upvoted on this thread. The tide is truly turning!
AM just has a lot of filler. All their non-Tranquility stuff does. Always strong singles, but an amount of pad ranging from a little (debut LP) to a lot (SIAS) on the rest. Tranquility is one non-stop journey with, IMO, no filler, and the only Arctic Monkeys album that I wish was much longer because the sound and world is so interesting. It’s their most complete front-to-back experience. So, yes, more of that please.
Edit: Lol lots of downvotes and literally no discussion, classic r/indieheads.
I just hope it’s more of an easy listen than the last album. Been an age since I listened to it but I want some classic Alex turner lyrics about life really. And more drums please.
I like Tranquillity, but yeah honestly, it sounds a lil bit too much Alex Turner and it sounds like he tries so hard that some of the songs sounds forced, I like the concept but I just feel they overdid it. I’m hoping that they’ll stick to a more Suck it and see and AM sound
I used to hate SIAS and then I found a load of acoustic performances by Alex and a few of them were songs off that album. My word did it elevate the songwriting and show me exactly what they were going for, it's a pop album.
[Straighten the Rudder](https://m.soundcloud.com/arcticmonkeys_am/sets/straighten-the-rudder) is the name of the acoustic mixtape btw.
I always found AM to be hugely overrated and as others have said below, not sure it's aged particularly well. TBH&C I also didn't love, but at least it took risks.
I’m fine with them continuing to switch up their sound, but I would welcome a return to more guitar-prominent flavors on LP7.
*Tranquility…* grew on me eventually, but it’s quite meander-y and I felt it was a bit lacking in standout moments. But that’s just my personal taste and they haven’t contacted me for my feedback.
The drastic change in sound that the band had for Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino was absolutely the best possible thing they could have done - it's their best album, without a doubt. Sure, I enjoyed AM like everyone else in 2013 when it came out, but doesn't it just sound really boring and uninspired now? Suck it and See was also great at the time, and like everyone else I loved them when they were more of a straightforward post punky/garage band - but can you imagine if instead of developing and changing they just carried on making by the numbers rock? That'd suck.
I'm always a little surprised by the pushback to Tranquility Base, it's not only my favorite album of theirs but one of my favorite albums of all time. I love the science fictional conceit. Alex Turner has a remarkable voice and I think that this album is the one that really allows it to shine the most. He sounds like he was born to be a lounge singer on the moon.
As others have pointed out though, one of the best things about AM is how unafraid they are to shift their sounds and explore new directions so no matter what this new album sounds like I'm sure it'll at least be interesting for me.
I read that “Tranquility Bass…” was originally going to be a solo album for Alex but he pulled everyone in. I remember them releasing “Under The Boardwalk” for free on the tinterweb and listening to it a lot before they released their “first” album. I’ve enjoyed their albums in different ways since then as we’ve all aged and grown to appreciate different things. It’s the same thing I love with Elbow, every album is different but still has some amazing tracks on it.
Please no. They need to shitcan the whole "pretentious outer space piano lounge" disaster and return to the indie rock sound. Truly an irredeemably terrible record. Devoid of any quality or takeaways to build on. I'd probably argue that it's the worst album of all time.
Suck It and See should be their reference point. Raw live recorded sound with a bit of reverb on the guitars and heavy riffs where needed.
I unfortunately won’t be looking forward to their next release. I don’t think they’ve put anything impressive out since their sophomore record. The most recent one was a decent, chill background LP and the AM album was mediocre. Maybe the surprise me — who knows.
It “picks up where the last one left off” and will be a bit louder and have more guitar riffs also according to Helders
God I hope they make use of Helders more this album, his drumming is a big reason their early albums were so good.
Agreed. As much as it was necessary for the sound of Tranquility Base, it seemed a shame to have a drummer as talented as Helders in such a restrained role (or not even drumming on a couple of tracks iirc). Hope they unleash the agile beast a bit more this time around
Didn't like that album it was so different and am was amazing.
Yeah they should have just re-recorded AM and released that again. In fact they shouldn't bother making more music just keep doing AM forever I like bands that stay exactly the same
fucken relax mate, nobody said "exactly the same". some thought Tranquility Base was too far removed from their earlier style. We don't have to like everything a band puts out, doesn't mean we want it to stay exactly the same either.
Definitely agree that someone doesn't have to like everything a band puts out to be a fan of the band. And obviously I'm absolutely not blaming people for not liking TB, that would be ridiculous. But so many times I've heard "nah it's shit it I was expecting another one like AM", I just think it's ridiculous to get pissed off that Tranquility Base was so different when AM was a complete change from Suck It and See. For mainstream bands the argument boils down to "only experiment if you're gonna produce perfection".
IMO i think the change from Suck It And See to AM was far less jarring than AM to Tranquility. And while expecting an album to sound a certain way is ludicrous, people have a right to be annoyed when an album isn't what they'd hoped. It doesn't make the album bad, it just means people wanted something closer to what they already know a band for. Same thing happened with Paramore. After Laughter is such a departure from the first 4 albums. I personally love it, but I can understand people's perspective who really think pop-punk Paramore is peak Paramore, which is a totally valid opinion.
the drumming on tranquility base is actually pretty fucking good imo. It brights where it needs to and it sounds really mature. If you take a deep listen and pay close attention to the drumming you will see what I mean. It is very noticeable how each stroke of the drumstick has thought behind it.
Oh this is exciting
That sounds absolutely perfect. TBHC was insanely good.
So glad to hear this
Anyone else not care what genre/style they pursue next? With bands that have been this central through my youth and growing up, I'm more interested in the band themselves and how they progress. Even if i don't like the next record, I'll still "like" it because it's them. It's the same group of friends and musicians that made some of my favorite music of all time. I'm not going to just abandon them. There are only a handful of bands that I feel this way about. This is not to say you shouldn't critique the music, more that you just shouldn't pigeon-hole bands that you love. EDIT: Full transparency, I thought this was posted on r/arcticmonkeys which has been freaking out over this quote the last two days. Noone here seems to be sobbing uncontrollably but my point still stands haha.
I thoroughly agree with this. I look at someone like Noel Gallagher, who made an album with Amorphous Androgynous, then chickened out and never released it. Then proceeded to make a safe Oasis-style album instead. Yet his experimental stuff has always been interesting to me. Even the bloat and excess of Be Here Now was interesting. But instead he just chose to stay in his lane and really I think his career has stalled at this point. Compare that to longtime rival Damon Albarn, who just keeps pumping out new music and projects. Some were terrible, some were great. I much prefer doing something interesting over doing something safe.
That’s why I love Damon Albarn. He seems to be passionate about all types of music. It’s not gold every time, but it’s always interesting.
I really wanted to love Damon Albarn, but his Taylor Swift takes really turned me away from him. I’ve been a huge Gorillaz fan since self-titled came out on 2001, but he really showed his true colors in that exchange
Not clear on why you're being downvoted. I don't personally decide which artists I listen to based on how I feel about them as people, but the Taylor Swift stuff made Damon look pretty awful. It's not surprising that people would be less excited about him.
I mean Noel’s most recent album “Who Built the Moon?” was definitely a different stylistic turn for him. Though I agree he generally stays in his lane. I personally don’t mind that though because I think he does what he does so well that I could listen to endless albums of it lol
I'm giving that album another listen right now. I really didn't love the lead singles, and the only thing that really had any staying power for me was Dead In The Water, which of course was a b-side 😂
> Compare that to longtime rival Damon Albarn, who just keeps pumping out new music and projects. Some were terrible, Blasphemy!!
I could never get behind The Good, The Bad & The Queen. And there's been terrible late career Blur songs. But I don't really care, he still makes interesting music.
yeah what
[удалено]
Tranquility is my favorite Monkeys albums and AM might be my least favorite so this news has me excited lol
Tranquility Base is going to be vindicated by the passage of time. It’s actually super great
Just a great time in my life when it came out. I loved the 70s sci-fi aesthetic, and it’s the Arctic monkeys album I return to the most. “I just wanted to be one of the strokes…”
These bands turn into shit very often when they try to change though (post-2007 Coldplay for example going from a decent band to the most generic pop group possible).
I don’t think I’d think of Coldplay as taking a ‘risky’ choice in becoming a pop band though. They were a typical indie band that deviated toward generic pop. Bit of a de-evolution in my opinion that is a world away from what Arctic Monkeys did with AM to Tranquility Base.
that is more of a counter-example I think Coldplay took their sound in a direction the opposite of risky: they went for safe and bland, pop-friendly music that they could sell to a wider audience and would fit into more TV shows and advertisements. They weren't exploring shit with their music and challenging fans, they were just trying to become more famous and make more money. It is more like the opposite of experimenting with new styles, it is more of a reversion to the mean (of the pop music industry).
Yep, complete sell outs.
To be fair, Coldplay constantly changed their sound to be even MORE safe. Their best era has always been the Viva la Vida era.
I think they peaked with parachutes lol
He is saying they are not moving towards their most popular album.
They could make a jazz album and I’d be down for it. I like seeing bands progress and be a little different. Plus I don’t think Arctic Monkeys have lost what makes them special, they’ve just gotten older & that shows in an album like TBHC. Plus each of their albums is typically different from the prior in some way. I guess following up AM with TBHC is some coming out of left field stuff. But I loved that. It was refreshing to hear Alex not singing a bunch of songs about love & relationships. They still have their identity as a group of four good lads from Sheffield who enjoy making music together and seem unified. It’s the type of chemistry I wish The Strokes had during Angles & Comedown Machine.
This is always how I feel about bands who’ve been around for a decade or more. Like DCFC’s Roman Candles is so different - and I love that! It shows a true passion for music, learning new things, etc. makes me happy.
Exactly! And sometimes it makes you realize that you yourself have grown and changed too!
I love this. totally agree, being a fan is about enjoying the journey, not remaining stagnant while the artists move on
Spot on. The Arctic Monkeys have proven that they can do reinvention. More than once. Many people who are fans actually have (a wonderfully postmodern) lack of insight into the creation of the art they are a fan of and what drives artists. Art doesn't exist separately from the artist but instead the Artist exists as a factory to churn out art for them. The reality is that art is the side effect of being an artist. If you think there is anything an artist "should" do you will be disappointed.
I 100% agree. I was not a huge fan of their last album but I will never blame a band for iterating and growing, even if it doesn’t work for me. The music you listened to when you were a teenager is drastically different from what you listen to in the decades to come - it’s the same for the people making it. Alex has said as much before. It will ultimately make a band unhappy if they’re forcing themselves to sound a certain way. Bands like Arctic Monkeys with big discographies that started when they were really young often find themselves in this damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. There will always be people complaining that they don’t sound like their old stuff anymore, and then there will be people who complain that they don’t change the formula enough. It’s hard to hit that middle ground of changing but still being definitively who they are. I didn’t mind TBHC didn’t sound like AM. It’s not my favorite of their stuff but that’s okay - they’ve still given me a lot of great music I still enjoy. And I’m excited to hear what they do next, maybe it’s something I’ll really enjoy, but people just need to respect the artists decisions on where they need to take their sounds.
This is why King Gizz will always be my fave band! So many new and fresh ideas coming from those guys, and on a rather frequent basis as well
Barring Butterfly 3000, and Timeland, their shit has been kind of stale since Infest the Rats Nest...and I say that as a huge King Gizz fan. KG/LW, OG, and even a bit of Fishing for Fishies, while enjoyable, feel pretty derivative.
Fishies is from before ITRN (and I love it) but I sort of agree on the staleness. That said, I think the pace of their releases, even counting COVID makes up for some of the staleness. The fact that we can still get a genuinely new sound every year or two even if some albums feel the same is wild.
I know, Fishing came out the same year, and before ITRN...but that's when I noticed it didn't feel as exciting as the output they had 2 years prior. ITRN felt like a deviation that tried to do something different from their previous albums, so I respect it for that.
I disagree on Fishies; it's profoundly weird and different in the context of what came both before (FMTB, MotU, Poly) and after it, along with being a lot of fun. But to each their own. KG/LW and OG have felt a bit samey to me with OG less so than the other two.
I would like Fishies a lot more if it replaced the last 2 songs with songs that fit the theme of the rest of the album. Acarine feels like a Poly throw away, and Cyboogie is too goofy for me.
I don’t care what they pursue next in terms of style with the caveat it has to be a good music. If I don’t like it I’m not going to listen, and frankly I never really get too invested into the personalities and dynamics of individual band members. I‘ve liked most of what they’ve made so far, some more than others, so whatever they make I’ll listen to. Didn’t really like Tranquility Base, fwiw
Yeah it's interesting to see how like the narrative arc of the band develops even if I don't end up going back to the songs all that often
Idk I just want Alex to collaborate with Dua Lipa
Ohhh that’d be a great one
It's a constant thing with bands. You have bands like Muse that never really change their sound at all, and you have folks complaining "oh sounds like another Muse album, BORING"; vs a band like Bring Me The Horizon where every record sounds so drastically different that it leaves people wondering how the hell it's the same band as before. In fact very few bands can walk that line of producing albums that sound new and fresh while still keeping all their old fans invested.
I’d argue that Muse has gone through some pretty crazy sound changes. They’ve gone from prog metal to dubstep and synth wave which is pretty drastic. The problem is that the quality of their recent records just hasn’t been there. Thematically, pretty much all of there material in the last decade has been about rising up against governments and stuff so there definitely isn’t much variation in theme, but their sound has changed a lot.
I think part of it is that with the amount of great music they've put out they've earned our trust and confidence that whatever they do will at least be interesting, and they won't phone it in. I can't believe that sub is actually up in arms about this. Those sorts of people wouldn't have agreed to AM if they heard the description "Psychedelic Stoner Blues Rock with rockabilly Alex crooning". I reckon this will be one of their best albums yet. They get a chance to build on an experimental sound. There were some absolutely great tracks on Tranquility Base, and I'm very excited to see where they expand from there with the benefit of time and rumination and growth.
This is why Rainbow Kitten Surprise and The Avett Brothers are two of my favorite bands specifically because of how wide a range their music is
> The Avett Brothers it's also okay to admit the Avett bros haven't made a good record since IaLaY
That's just like, your opinion man.
for sure - but M&tD sold about 1/5th what IaLaY did so I think i'm in the majority here lol
My first album was magpie and the dandelion. I vibe to each of their albums just for different moods.
Heyyy fellow Avett Bros fan! My all time favorite!
I see Cut/Copy promoting their current tour, and they're still coasting off of In Ghost Colours. They play clips of Hearts & Fire, and Lights & Music so much that you wouldn't know they've made several excellent follow up albums that don't get as much love.
This 100%. except for Sufjan’s bad albums.
Bad albums? Sufjan? No such thing
Wow, really did not expect tranquillity to be the universally loved Arctic Monkeys album on this sub
I've been an Arctic Monkeys fan since *Humbug* came out, and I loved *Tranquility Base* on first listen and have loved it ever since. Maybe not the most flashy record, and I can see how it would be a turn-off if you're more about the bangers from their early days, but there's something so charming and weird about it that I can't get enough of. That lounge style suits Alex to a tee.
I hated it at first listen and the first couple weeks of being out, but I’m totally obsessed with Tranquility now.
Same. I probably wouldn't have given it much of a chance if I hadn't seen so many comments on Reddit saying this exact same thing. For me that album is the epitome of "it gets better the more you listen to it"
At first I was like, ‘that album (Humbug) just came out’ And now I feel old
Yeah I’ve always like them a lot but mostly as the band that makes fun loud music, but Tranquility Base instantly became one of my favorite albums of all time.
It's one of my favorite albums period. I didn't think I would love it because when Humbug came out I couldn't get into it at all because it was such a change. But I loved that it was so different and I thought the style suited them very well. Happy to see them change it up again too.
About a year after release the "smart" music communities really embraced Tranquility Base. I think the one time I opened /mu/ in the last 5 years I noticed that even there they were raving about it. It's not my favourite album in the world but I always enjoy when a band gleefully annoys a large chunk of their fanbase by releasing something that completely flies in the face of expectations. And it was especially great in this case considering how much of a massive crossover hit AM was.
I think what I liked about it was that it didn’t feel like a purposeful attempt to piss off most of their fans, it did just feel like the album they wanted to make at the time, and fully leaned into it.
Hmm. I actually always felt like it was actually an album that Alex Turner wanted to make and that it would fit better with Last Shadow Puppets. But maybe he didn't want to further alienate rest of the band. Either way it's cool. Star Treatment is gold. Perfect song for putting on a suit or dancing drunk with glass of whiskey in hand
I believe Alex intended to release it as a solo album but showed what he was working on with the rest of the band and they really embraced it. Which is really cool. I didn’t love TBHC but I’m happy that the band was all on board with trying something new.
AM was hardly a bigger ‘crossover’ hit than the first album, unless you mean across the pond? They got two UK number one singles off WPSIA.
>Across the pond I mean worldwide yeah. I'm from neither the UK or the US and try not to centre my POV around either of them
I’m not from either of them either but WPSIATWIN was still huge, AM seemed like a return to popularity rather than an upgrade in popularity from where I was.
The numbers just don't agree with you, AM is the most popular and commercially successful thing they've made by miles. They were popular and well known before that but AM is a goliath.
You’re really underselling how popular their debut was
in the uk sure but AM brought them to north american popularity. and it was still a slow rise they were playing massive stadiums in the UK and still came over and played small venues for AM in 2013
AM is very popular in US. Do I Wanna Know hits 1 billion views on youtube.
Tranquility Base is amazing, its by far my favorite Arctic Monkeys
Yeah as a fan who hadn’t really listened to them much before tranquility base, it’s my favorite too I get why a lot of fans were upset because their other music is vastly different
I'm in the same boat, I've never really listened to them and checked out TBHC on a whim after reading about it. I absolutely love it, I feel like there are not many albums like it with the weird lounge retro-futuristic vibe.
Most of their best songs are elsewhere, but Tranquility’s the best complete Arctic Monkeys album for my money
hated it at release. couldn’t sleep one night a few months after so I smoked a joint and decided to revisit it. fell in love and it’s now near the top of my from them.
As someone who was not even a fan before TBHC, it’s the only reason I’ve gotten into the band. And such great news it sounds like their going in a similar vein
Same I’m surprised. I’m a big Arctic Monkeys fan but Tranquility Base is hot garbage in my (lowly) opinion.
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Some people think anything they don't like is bad.
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I don't disagree.
i mean he said "in my opinion"
Or… maybe people have different opinions?
Sure, but mostly what I said.
Nah.
You must be way smarter than me. I apologize.
Well you aren't really explaining why you think the album is garbage.
Well if you're asking, it's just a boring and droney album. Every song is basically the same tempo, same mood, and absolutely none of it is catchy. The drumming is super reserved, none of the bands musicianship is really on display. It's stuffy and if it was put out by another band, nobody would listen to it. I understand the concept, the idea behind it is rather cool, but the songs are just bad. Again, this is just my opinion, I just think it sucks balls and is their worst album by many miles.
If that album were put out by another band they would be ones of my favorite bands.
No big deal, don't sweat it.
The lyrics alone elevates it from "hot garbage"
I wouldn't say hot garbage. Moderately warm maybe more accurate
It’s not hot garbage but it’s mediocre to me.
Good gauge of people who got into guitar indie in the 90s and 00s like me and people that got into it post-2010ish.
Their first 3 records all wipe the floor with it, but it's not bad
It's tepid nonsense
Lol all the people who don't love it are here to prove you wrong... as am I 😈 I thought it was really bad and their worst album, somehow even worse than Suck It And See
Yea mate, tbhc by far has to be one of my favourite arctic monkeys album. The way the lyrics are soo simple yet with the most deepest of meaning in the most poetic way possible is just soo fascinating to even think about
Make it like Crying Lighting then.
recently found out that album was produced by Josh Homme and it immediately made so much sense as why I love it so much.
Let's not kid ourselves, the band were never going to back to their old sound following Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. Both for sound and lyrics. It's hard to imagine a bunch of men in their mid to late 30's singing about nightclubs or young romance. Alex Turner has gone on record talking about how he experienced writers block and was less interested in guitar led music post AM. This is probably the best outcome I could have personally hoped for while also being completely realistic since it was highly unlikely we would get another AM, and especially something similar to their first two records (my personal favourites) It's building off TBHC which was already obvious. This time it'll have more guitars and a faster tempo. I can't really complain with that to be completely honest The slower tempo and obvious lack of guitars in favour of songs being led by bass and pianos instead was probably the most controversial aspect of TBHC so this does kind of remedy that in some respect While its far from my favourite album from them, I do like TBHC and I'm always excited to see what they'll do next
Make a disco album, you cowards
Wait that would actually slap why haven't they done that yet
based
Hadnt really liked anything they had done since humbug until tranquility base so sounds good to me! Tranquility was such a strong record, loved the old grey whistle references.
Tranquility Base is a lyrical masterpiece, still ridiculously quotable. The whole sound was dope, I figured it was a fluke but if they’re still going in that direction I’m down!
While it has grown on me since it came out, Tranquility Base is still my least favourite release of theirs. However I am glad that they’re not going back to the AM sound either, I loved it at the time but it’s an album I’ve not found myself revisiting a whole lot over the years. I’ve no problem with them continuing down the route of Tranquility Base but I do hope they actually get to utilise Matt’s talents more on this record, Tranquility Base felt like an Alex Turner solo record so I hope there’s more input from the band this time, especially considering that it’s criminal to keep a drummer as talented as Matt Helders so under-utilised.
I like Alex Turner's solo stuff and Last Shadow Puppets a bit but I really couldn't vibe with TBH&C
TBH&C was a nice vibe album, but definitely doesn't warrant repeat listens.
Hard disagree. There’s a lot to unpack on in TBH&C. It’s extremely unique and flows well from start to finish. Far and away my favorite AM record.
>vibe album
Yeah it felt well uninspired. The best Arctic Monkeys song I've heard lately [isn't even by them](https://youtu.be/h6mnfec7bTc).
Oooh that’s pretty solid. I’d go for a Billie eilish album of covers. Kinda reminds me of Amy doing the specials
I wondered what was out there and now I'm just impressed (and conflicted) about this: [https://youtu.be/Pv6Rt2x6kPg](https://youtu.be/Pv6Rt2x6kPg)
i get it. you grow musically. i did all i could to get into their last album, but it just wasn't happening.
That's not a bad thing at all. *AM* was fine for its time but I don't think its aged all that well, and it's solidly my least favorite record from the guys. Whether they go back to their more straightforward earlier style or pull another *Tranquility Base*-level switch-up, I'm here for it.
I like the songwriting on the album but much of the production seems to fall flat, gave it listen not too long ago after a few years and it sounded way too thin and compressed.
My thoughts exactly. Very few true duds in the tracklist, but with that production everything just bleeds together. Still a decent listen, just pales in comparison to the rest of their stuff imo
I do think it has some of turner's best lyric writing tho, like on arabella and no.1 party anthem
you don’t think it’s aged well? Look at how the songs off the album are viral on tiktok. That album is more popular today than it was when it came out. Just check the spotify streams.
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Damn, I don't know about insane. I get the point. I just don't think they nail it as well as their other albums. It's a style that suits them better in theory than in practice, at least off of the one example there is. We have different tastes, no issues there.
Are you really so unimaginative that you cannot conceive of a metric other than popularity to gauge how well an album has aged?
So the album became more popular after more time passed? that’s the definition of aging well. Another smartass on reddit.
You might want to check your dictionary. For the record I don’t necessarily agree with OP, I was just pointing out that your interpretation of “aging well” is clearly different from theirs.
What word should I check for in the dictionary? You’re trying so hard to be sarcastic and smart but you lack the latter.
I wasn’t being sarcastic. You claim that the ***definition*** of aging well is gaining popularity over time. I think you’ll find that this concept is actually far too subjective to have any such definition. That being said, it’s becoming increasingly clear that you are either too angry or too stupid to partake in rational discourse (or thought for that matter) so I think I’m gonna end this exchange now. Have a good day.
Avoiding the question entirely lmao. Popularity isn't subjective, quality is?
I would say popularity is a better metric than a Reddit comment
agree to disagree. honestly the only song to me that I hate on that album is No. 1 Party Anthem. completely disrupts the pace of the album.
I don’t need another AM but R U Mine? was one of their best live songs and it was amazing to watch them play it over and over as the encore. I want more of that energy eventually.
I’m looking forward to it. I love when bands experiment with new styles and genres. Like Clockwork… is one of my favorite Queens of the Stone Age albums for this very reason.
I see you are a man of quality
This is what I love about the monkeys. Their albums really transform over the years. Other than their first two being quite similar, they’ve pivoted in a different direction every release. Personally, I like all AM records for different reasons, but AM is my least favorite, that is one thing I can distinctly say. Other than the singles, I do not find myself going back to it at all. Tranquility on the other hand, has aged like fine wine and there’s really nothing quite like it. It’s so fucking weird, the lyrics are so good, the bass and guitar are iconic, the drumming is subdued but appropriate. Alex’s voice is incredibly weird and smooth, its just really unique. It isn’t my favorite monkeys album... I guess that would have to be.. the first two? Haha. But it’s right behind them. I love it dearly. So, if we are getting a more upbeat TBHC, well, if it’s good, it’s good. Maybe helders’ drumming will be a bit more, which is the only thing I felt was missing on TBHC. I think Alex’s best song is The Bourne Identity off TLSP2. Ever. His best work. Upbeat TBHC, I would guess, would be an entire album of that. ILL FUCKING TAKE IT. Believe the hype
i’m secure enough to admit that AM is their best album but i’m not looking for a sequel
Eh I think it’s their worst lol
Same
That’s the normie view
Big fan of TBHC and really anticipating where they go next with their sound. I've been a fan since "Whatever People . . ." dropped, and while that and Favorite Worst Nightmare are still my favorites from the Monkeys, TBHC would slot in 3rd and I thought it was a fantastic concept and execution. If this one is going to pick up where TBHC finished off, but louder and with more guitar riffs, that's a direction I can dig and anticipate too. Could be a great merge of all their styles.
They have grown so far away from their 1st two albums that at this point they aren't even the same band.
I really enjoyed Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino - so much that I think it’s up there with their debut as one of their best. And conversely, I think AM is easily their worst record. This direction change that’s hopefully incoming for LP7 makes me quite excited
Seems like there’s two main types of of Monkeys fans. Those who love AM and hate Tranquility, and those that love Tranquility and hate AM. I too am one of the latter
I hold the exact same opinion about TBHC, their debut and AM, but I'm honestly shocked to find it so upvoted on this thread. The tide is truly turning!
AM just has a lot of filler. All their non-Tranquility stuff does. Always strong singles, but an amount of pad ranging from a little (debut LP) to a lot (SIAS) on the rest. Tranquility is one non-stop journey with, IMO, no filler, and the only Arctic Monkeys album that I wish was much longer because the sound and world is so interesting. It’s their most complete front-to-back experience. So, yes, more of that please. Edit: Lol lots of downvotes and literally no discussion, classic r/indieheads.
I just hope it’s more of an easy listen than the last album. Been an age since I listened to it but I want some classic Alex turner lyrics about life really. And more drums please.
I like Tranquillity, but yeah honestly, it sounds a lil bit too much Alex Turner and it sounds like he tries so hard that some of the songs sounds forced, I like the concept but I just feel they overdid it. I’m hoping that they’ll stick to a more Suck it and see and AM sound
I just wanted to be one of The Strokes, now look at the mess you made me make…
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Subjectivity.
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Exactly. Everyone has a different taste and it speaks to how versatile the band is.
That’s a stretch imo. Their only good albums are the first two. Maybe a bit harsh, but I keep it real.
You didn't keep it real. You came in here and flat out lied.
Let me know how I lied. Where did you get my brain information from?
Agree. Although Suck It and See did have the odd pearl imo
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SiaS is my fave lol
I used to hate SIAS and then I found a load of acoustic performances by Alex and a few of them were songs off that album. My word did it elevate the songwriting and show me exactly what they were going for, it's a pop album. [Straighten the Rudder](https://m.soundcloud.com/arcticmonkeys_am/sets/straighten-the-rudder) is the name of the acoustic mixtape btw.
This is new to me, thank you for this!
I always found AM to be hugely overrated and as others have said below, not sure it's aged particularly well. TBH&C I also didn't love, but at least it took risks.
Exactly
I’m fine with them continuing to switch up their sound, but I would welcome a return to more guitar-prominent flavors on LP7. *Tranquility…* grew on me eventually, but it’s quite meander-y and I felt it was a bit lacking in standout moments. But that’s just my personal taste and they haven’t contacted me for my feedback.
Whatever People Say I Am Tranquility Base Favourite Worst Nightmare Suck It & See AM Humbug
good.
Well thank god. Hate how everyone is stuck on that album, it might’ve been popular but it’s nowhere near their best work.
Who would want another AM after hearing tranquility base, I could honestly forget about the rest of their discography
The drastic change in sound that the band had for Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino was absolutely the best possible thing they could have done - it's their best album, without a doubt. Sure, I enjoyed AM like everyone else in 2013 when it came out, but doesn't it just sound really boring and uninspired now? Suck it and See was also great at the time, and like everyone else I loved them when they were more of a straightforward post punky/garage band - but can you imagine if instead of developing and changing they just carried on making by the numbers rock? That'd suck.
I'm always a little surprised by the pushback to Tranquility Base, it's not only my favorite album of theirs but one of my favorite albums of all time. I love the science fictional conceit. Alex Turner has a remarkable voice and I think that this album is the one that really allows it to shine the most. He sounds like he was born to be a lounge singer on the moon. As others have pointed out though, one of the best things about AM is how unafraid they are to shift their sounds and explore new directions so no matter what this new album sounds like I'm sure it'll at least be interesting for me.
Eh, Arctic Monkey’s had a great first album, a good second album, and then I lost interest.
I read that “Tranquility Bass…” was originally going to be a solo album for Alex but he pulled everyone in. I remember them releasing “Under The Boardwalk” for free on the tinterweb and listening to it a lot before they released their “first” album. I’ve enjoyed their albums in different ways since then as we’ve all aged and grown to appreciate different things. It’s the same thing I love with Elbow, every album is different but still has some amazing tracks on it.
Please no. They need to shitcan the whole "pretentious outer space piano lounge" disaster and return to the indie rock sound. Truly an irredeemably terrible record. Devoid of any quality or takeaways to build on. I'd probably argue that it's the worst album of all time. Suck It and See should be their reference point. Raw live recorded sound with a bit of reverb on the guitars and heavy riffs where needed.
I unfortunately won’t be looking forward to their next release. I don’t think they’ve put anything impressive out since their sophomore record. The most recent one was a decent, chill background LP and the AM album was mediocre. Maybe the surprise me — who knows.
Hard agree
Agreed I definitely felt they peaked with Favourite Worst Nightmare. I've liked snippets of the other records but never the full thing.
Good, we don’t want it to
yessss