The album opener has a line where Alex sings,"there's this tune I found which makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat". Well, I guess then that there's not just one tune but almost every song on this has those tunes which will make you think of someone and you'll play them on repeat but I'm not sure if that will make you fall asleep as sometimes they are too subtly haunting to make you restless and give you nightmares! This album is an instant classic! I absolutely love this album. That being said, let's begin the review ;)
1. Do I Wanna Know? -5/5
The album opener and an instant hit! This song defines everything what Monkeys are right now at this point of time, i.e. 2013 and maybe that's why they also have a song with name '2013' on the b-side of this single. The opening riff, the opening verse and a kickass chorus, what's not to like?! This James Bond-esque song is not the only one on this album and with slick haired Alex writing such songs while dreaming about someone every night of a week, one should anticipate similar awesomeness from the rest of the album!
"I've dreamt about you nearly every night this week
...
'Cause there's this tune I found that makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat
Until I fall asleep "
"Ever thought of calling when you've had a few?
'Cause I always do
Maybe I'm too busy being yours to fall for somebody new"
2. R U Mine? -5/5
Another song title and another question! Well, this song is something which (at least for me) only boys can relate to and it's even better if girls find this song amazing too! Something which you can pop in while on for a long ride, this amazingly uplifting song is just another gem to this gem stranded album. Also, who can forget that bad ass air guitar of Alex in it's video ;)
"She's a silver lining lone ranger riding
Through an open space
In my mind when she's not right there beside me."
3. One for the Road - 4/5
That bass! Another song for your car ride. Not as gripping as R U Mine? but definitely super catchy and I know I'll be listening it a lot on my bus rides and it will be always there on those playlists where I need something uplifting and super cool!
"There's no need to show me round baby
I feel like I've been here before."
4. Arabella 3.5/5
Well, pre-release interviews mentioned it to be the outstanding track of the album and quoted Alex saying that it's his favorite from the album. This isn't the case for me. Even though it's a great song with a mouth watering guitar solo by Jamie, it has something which says that I won't be listening a lot on a long run.
5. I Want It All 5/5
Oh man, this is so sick! Matt's falsettos and that sick guitar sound continuously rocking in the background and those shooo-whoops. If you're still not getting into such songs then sorry, this album is not for you. Five tracks gone and it just gets faster and crazier, seems like boys are having so much fun and everything looks alright at the top and there's no stopping to their I-give-no-fucks-whatsoever attitude! But just when you thought that every thing's fine and they can have(or already have) it all, then comes probably the best track on the album....
"Blind faith, heartache
Mind games, mistakes."
6. No. 1 Party Album 5/5
I remember the first track listing day. When I saw a song at the middle of the album with this name, honestly, at first I was a bit disappointed as I knew that this album was gonna be a lot more happier and poppier than their previous efforts and the song title confirmed that. All I wanted was to have a powerful slow emotional track (remember Riot Van, Only Ones Who Know and Cornerstone ) at around the halfway of the album.But then again , I thought it to be an interesting choice as Monkeys can never do anything wrong and I knew that this one was going to be something special.Man, I couldn't have been more right! A couple of night before when I was streaming the album in it's entirety, I was eagerly waiting for this track to come and blow me away and I swear, I'm completely blown away. THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF THE ALBUM. This song is anything but a party anthem. Looks like, under all the fun and craziness, Alex is sad as fuck and quite alone. He is miserable and calls for a party "before the moment's gone". I'm quite sure that it's just one of his another "drunken monologues"! Love Alex's voice on this track!
"She's a certified mind blower, knowing full well that I don't."
"Drunken monologues, confused because
It's not like I'm falling in love I just want you to do me no good
And you look like you could."
7. Mad Sounds 4/5
Actually there's nothing wrong with this song. They played it in their shows well before the release and it sounds really fresh and different. But the fact that it is so different that I guess it'll be hard for me to play it that very often. This is really a great song (don't care about the ratings ;P)
8. Fireside 5/5
The name itself reminds me of their Fire and Thud and surprisingly (or maybe not ) it's quite similar to that track when it comes to lyrics, atmosphere and the melody. How Alex manages to pull of singing the simplest of words into something so passionate and romantic is beyond imagination! This is one of Monkeys' classic! and once again we meet "shoo-whoops" ;)
"There's all these secrets that I can't keep
Like in my heart there's that hotel suite
And you lived there so long
It's kind of strange now you're gone."
9. Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High 5/5
As much as I love the song, the video for this song is something that I'm a huge fan of. Alex is having some pretty bad/dirty ideas and he is not shy of hiding them ;)
10. Snap Out Of It 5/5
Super Catchy! This song is just what you need when you want to have fun in Monkeys' style!
"Forever isnt for everyone
Is forever for you?
It sounds like settling down
Or giving up
But it don't sound much like you girl."
11. Knee Socks 5/5
This is so not them ! ;) But still, they manage to make it theirs. It sounds like some retro style 90s track (rhythm wise) but it's cool. I like it ;)
12. I Wanna Be Yours 5/5
THE BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM! I remember when I read the track listing and said to myself," Man, this is it! This song will be the song of the album! " The best moment of the album comes just about 30 seconds before the closing of the album when Alex sings 'i wanna be your vacuum cleaner' over the transcending background music with such seriousness and 'emotion', that's ironically full of contradiction with the silly lyrics of the song, hence fully living up to their band name; Arctic Monkeys!
"I wanna be your vacuum cleaner." (BEST LYRICS ON THE ALBUM!)
13.Stop The World I Wanna Get Off With You: 5/5
B-side of "Why'd You Only..." single, this is nonetheless a great song! I wonder why it's not the full album?!
"Well I know that getting you alone isn't easy to do.(I hear as,," Well I know again you're alone, it ain't easy to do" :P )
With the exception of you I dislike everyone in the room,
And I don't wanna lie, but I don't wanna tell you the truth."
FINAL RATING: 4.8/5
One more album, one more hit, I wonder how long they'll manage to keep doing it? But who cares, they are here and they are here to make similar out of the world epic songs.Lyrically it's definitely not their best. But poetically they have surpassed Humbug. Production wise, they have beaten Suck It and See. Hype wise, they have broken FWN. Legacy wise, only the time will tell if it's going to last longer than WPSIATWIN.
For a huge fan like me, it was just enough to listen something new from them and the way I admire Alex's voice, I am satisfied enough that they have delivered nothing less than stunning! It's hard to live to the hype but we never "believe the hype" ;)
Wow! Sounds like a great LP!
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