As i sit in my room on a dimly lit Tuesday night, 6 days away from the highly anticipated 5th studio album from the Arctic Monkeys, it got me thinking. I grew up listening to the Arctic Monkeys and i've grown with them.
I really can't rate the Arctic Monkeys highly enough, they are ultimately my favourite band (rivalled very closely by The Courteeners) but living in Barnsley, a neighbouring town to Sheffield, I feel much closer to the Arctic Monkeys. Plus, they've been around for much longer. Being only 13 when they released their debut album Whatever people say I am, that's what I am not, I was a little naive, but I still remember the hype that surrounded them. I still remember watching the video for I bet you look good on the dancefloor and Alex Turner muttering those famous words 'Don't believe the hype'. I still remember playing that album over and over again, something that I can still do 6 years on. The catchy guitar tunes and fast paced lyrics stole my heart from the very beginning and I very much believed the hype. This was a band that was destined for the big time. Stumbling around in the corridors of the internet, I found out that before they even released their first album, Arctic Monkeys performed a gig at the Lucorum in Barnsley, a 5 minute walk from my house. If only i'd have known. Or, alternatively, if only I had a time-machine.
Arctic Monkey's second studio album, Favourite Worst Nightmares, set about where the first album left off. It was very 'samesy', to think of a better word, however, if it's not broke then don't fix it. Despite that they stole my heart again, and I continued to listen to them as I grew up with them. However, the band needed to evolve if they were to continue to be successful.
Humbug was a weird album for me. I entered dark days with my music listening and abandoned my indie routes and became brainwashed with chart music. I wrote Humbug off before I even listened to it, and what a mistake that was. I eventually bought the album a few weeks after the original release date, but still didn't give it a proper listen. Foolish. Now being a little older and a wiser head on my shoulders, I realise that Arctic Monkeys had to take a different route from the two previously released albums. They couldn't have released another fast-paced guitar packed album, as they wouldn't be where they are today. Humbug, now after a proper listen and a more intelligent viewpoint, is one of my favourite albums.
Their latest album, Suck it and See, was the biggest disappointment for me. But something that I think they've learned from. To me, it was a very childish album, and had no serious point or theme to the album, and seemed like they produced the album because they were due another album. There was no idea and no thought behind it they simply just bashed it out in the studio. However, it's still a very good album, just my least favourite out of the four.
Thankfully AM, the 5th studio album, set to be released on 9th of September, looks to have took a completely different turn to the previous album. From the three released songs (Do I wanna know?, R U Mine? and Why'd you only call me when you're high?) it seems that Alex Turner has heartbreak on the mind, and seems to be asking a lot of questions on this album. From streaming their album, it seems like a much more coherent album with a running theme, and again they've took a different turn with cool guitar riffs and going slightly bluesy rock. One song i'm sad to not see on the album is the B-Side, Stop The World I Wanna Get Off With You. I urge anyone reading this to give it a listen and possibly go and download it, it really is a gem of a song. I especially adore the line, 'with the exception of you, I dislike everyone in the room'. Alex Turner has a remarkable talent of writing lyrics that relate to me a little too much. The beauty of B-Sides is that you find some brilliant songs that hardly anyone will have heard of, and it expands your love of the band.
Long overdue, they took to the Glastonbury stage in June 2013, and blew the crowd, and everyone watching at home, away. Despite his newly adopted American look, they still remember their Sheffield routes with '0114' taped onto Matt Helder's drum set. Alex Turner's new look and new accent is all part of the band evolving, and their conquering of America. He'll always be a Sheffield boy. Having fell in love with them a little more, I converted the entire Glastonbury set into mp3 to play over and over again on my iTunes.
I would have absolutely loved to have seen the Arctic Monkeys perform in their hometown of Sheffield on their upcoming 2013 tour, but having a wise head on my shoulders I decided to go for standing tickets in Manchester. My trepidation and foresight paid off as tickets sold out within the second for Sheffield. Manchester sold out within the minute. I previously saw the Arctic Monkeys on their last tour, but had to settle for seated tickets. It was a special night, but I had to be standing for their next tour. Hence, why i'm going to Manchester as opposed to Sheffield.
There's nothing better than going to a gig and knowing every single song. That'll be me on October 23rd, the day I get to see the band that i've grown up with and I will continue to grow up with.
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