Welcome back to Left of The Dial! This week, we’re going to listen to AM by Arctic Monkeys. This isn’t my first time talking about this band, so I recommend you read my first Arctic Monkeys review on their debut Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not if you’re curious to learn about the band and their historical impact on British rock.
AM is the band’s fifth studio album, which was released in September 2013. Most of the members had a hand in AM, notably vocalist Alex Turner, drummer Matt Helders, and guitarist Jamie Cook. The only lineup change was the bassist, from Andy Nicholson (who left the band in 2006) to Nick O’Malley. While Whatever was the band’s explosive debut in Europe, it wasn’t until AM that they broke through into mainstream success in North America. What makes AM special, and how has the band evolved since their garage rock days? Let’s break out our turntables and go for a spin!
Side A
Side A contains “Do I Wanna Know?,” “R U Mine?,” “One For The Road,” “Arabella,” “I Want It All,” and “No. 1 Party Anthem.”
Right off the bat, “Do I Wanna Know?” starts with a heavy, slow drum riff, letting us know that this will be quite the wild ride. It excels at setting the mood for what to expect going forward, which is broody and melancholic. As the title implies, this track explores the troubling conflict of whether or not the narrator wants to know how his crush feels about him, whether she returns his feelings or not. It’s a relatable situation for those of us who might lack the guts to confess our feelings to others, out of a fear of rejection. The heavy instrumentals, paired with the falsetto backing vocals, make for an intense atmosphere that matches the tone of the lyrics perfectly. Overall, it starts the record on an excellent note and gives listeners a taste of what’s to come.
“R U Mine?” is the next track, and it serves as a bit of a sister track to “Do I Wanna Know?” thematically. Both focus on the uncertainty of a potential relationship, but at least from my perspective, the roles of the narrator and love interest are reversed for each song. The former has the narrator feeling uncertain about confessing to the girl, while the latter has him aching for her to confess first. The atmosphere of each song is also totally different, as the narrator of “R U Mine?” feels more confident and assertive than his counterpart in “Do I Wanna Know?” which is reflected in the livelier guitar work and vocals. On the subject of vocals, Turner’s performance is slicker than ever, delivering the lyrics with that familiar rap-like edge. He stated that rap was a particular influence for this song, and described the art of talking about stuff backward that rappers like Drake and Lil Wayne do in their work. An example of this is the opening line: “I’m a puppet on a string, Tracy Island,” referencing the marionette-led TV show Thunderbirds. The ‘backward talking’ trick basically has Turner describing the prominent use of marionettes on the show before name-dropping the main headquarters of the show’s protagonists, and therefore giving away what show he’s talking about. The rest of the song is full of lyrics styled this way, which makes it all the more impressive when Turner is able to deliver them with such precision. “R U Mine?” is fun and loaded with fascinating lyrics to pore over.
“One For The Road” is a personal favorite of mine. It weaves a melancholic tale of having to part ways with someone, even though you don’t want to. The guitar work is center stage on this track, working wonders to convey feelings of loneliness and falling apart. The “ooh ooh”s of the falsetto chorus give the song a bluesy edge and almost feel ghastly as the mood intensifies at the climax. It’s a masterpiece of mood and atmosphere.
“Arabella” is a nice throwback to the band’s early garage days, about a galactically attractive woman, so much so that she puts a beautiful sunset to shame. Maybe it’s just me, but the vocals on the bridge to the chorus sound a bit Beatles-like. Speaking of vocals, they absolutely kill it on this track! The arrangement of the lead and backup vocals give the song a cosmic edge, especially when filters are put to use to add some echo. The instrumentals are a little simpler than the tracks preceding it, but that’s not a problem since the vocal work is so integral to the atmosphere.
Another throwback track is “I Want It All,” just in a different way from “Arabella.” The song structure here is similar to that of older rock tunes, particularly early Rolling Stones. That being said, the instrumentals and vocals still have that unique AM sound, blending old elements with new. It even includes a “shoo-wop” breakdown partway through. You’d think this unique structure would help it stand out from the other tracks, but I can’t help but find it a little dull in comparison. That’s likely because the other tracks have such unique feelings and advanced composition that a song this simple falls through the cracks.
Lucky for us, we don’t have to end this side on a dull note, since “No. 1 Party Anthem” exists as the side closer. I’ve repeated that this album has been so good at establishing setting and mood, and I’m about to say it again; this song paints the clearest picture in my head about the story it tells. The narrator is at a club and psyching himself up to talk to a girl. It’s not unlike “You Probably Couldn’t See for the Lights but You Were Staring Straight at Me” in that way, though “No. 1 Party Anthem” is slower and more tragic. I always had the feeling that the narrator didn’t succeed in this encounter, and that he lost his chance with the girl in question. The sad ballroom-type instrumentals add to the regretful atmosphere, as does Turner’s moody delivery. And so ends Side A. It’s time to turn the record over.
Side B
Side B contains “Mad Sounds,” “Fireside,” “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?,” “Snap Out Of It,” “Knee Socks,” and “I Wanna Be Yours.”
I’ll admit that “Mad Sounds” had been my least favorite song off the album when I first listened to it but revisiting it has changed my perspective. After the intensity of “No. 1 Party Anthem,” I appreciate the chill, stripped-down tone of “Mad Sounds.” While it still falls low on my list of favorite cuts from the album, I don’t consider it a bad song, not by a longshot. It works well as a palette cleanser to introduce the rest of Side B.
“Fireside” tackles the tough inevitability of change and learning to take off the rose-colored glasses. Like previous tracks, the lyrics are full of confusion and indecision on how to handle the problem, which is expressed perfectly in the opening line: “I can’t explain but I want to try.” As the title would cleverly imply, the instrumentals are warm and humble, as the best campfire tunes are. The acoustic guitar and bass work in perfect harmony to capture the fireside feeling and the drums fit surprisingly well given their electronic sound. It’s a bittersweet tune that’s perfect to play by the campfire.
The next tune is “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” This tells the story of the narrator calling an ex-flame to try and win her back while he’s intoxicated. Clearly, his inhibitions are unbridled and he’s making a mistake trying to contact her in this state, and her only reply is the titular question. The percussion takes center stage on this track, perhaps making up for the back seat it took on “Fireside.” It works with the empty noise to convey a feeling of nervous tension that only emphasizes how wrong the narrator’s actions are.
On the subject of tension, “Snap Out of It” also does a good job of using the percussion to its advantage. This features the narrator helplessly watching an ex-flame fall for the wrong person, as he wishes he could get through to her and show her how wrong the relationship is. The stomping percussion is paired with a piano to emphasize the tension of the narrator. During the bridge, the guitar part is played backward to give it an unnerving sound, which continues in the background until the end of the song. Overall, these two songs show off the band’s ability to convey uncomfortable moods through composition.
“Knee Socks” is another one of my favorites. It conveys the cold misery of a couple whose relationship has gone bad. The composition and lyrics set the song squarely during the wintertime, and manage to precisely capture the depressing and dark atmosphere of an overcast and cold day. The heavy emotions of love gone sour are also conveyed well through Turner’s tender delivery and the characters’ apathetic behavior. Though my description was a little short, I have a lot of love for this song and highly recommend it.
The final track on the album is “I Wanna Be Yours.” As the title makes clear, the song describes how badly the narrator wants to be ‘yours’ and illustrates his point by comparing his practicality to the items his object of affection uses daily. It’s a cheesy gimmick for lyrics, but the delivery and serious nature of the composition forces you to take it seriously. It leans heavily into stoner-rock territory with the composition, giving it a cosmic edge. It ends the album on a cheesy, yet satisfying note.
AM is a masterpiece of an album and shows how Arctic Monkeys has evolved since their debut. My top three tracks are “Arabella,” “No. 1 Party Anthem,” and “Knee Socks,” with honorable mentions going to “Do I Wanna Know?” and “One For The Road.” As for bottom tracks, “Mad Sounds” is the only one that comes close, which speaks volumes about the overall quality of the album.
Rating: 9.5/10
Feature Photo by Becca Fauteux