release date: Jun. 6, 2011
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]
Track highlights: 4. "The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala" - 8. "Reckless Serenade" - 9. "Piledriver Waltz" - 12. "That's Where You're Wrong"
4th studio album by Arctic Monkeys.
This is a slight return to better music. I haven't played it a lot as it simply never touched me but I find that the songs are better, and more British sounding than the previous album, although it's also recorded and produced in US, but apparently, with focus on live takes in the studio, securing a more energetic and garage rock sound than the heavy rock production sound on Humbug (2009). The band has returned to a more "mainstream" sound and has left the psychedelic rock (which is just fine), as was the case with Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007). Some tracks even have a dream pop or shoegaze sound with heavy distortion and flanger guitar effects, e.g. "The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala", and "Reckless Serenade". I think, some of the quirkiness and garage rock element is missing, but that said, it contains some fine tracks. The track "Piledriver Waltz" is also included on Alex Turner's solo album (ep), the soundtrack Submarine (2011).
