I was perhaps the most nervous about listening to the latest album in the Arctic Monkeys discography. From doing some research, I knew this album was going to sound the most different compared to everything else they’ve put out, and Alex Turner is sporting a beard…why? Anyways, let’s dig into Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino.
Overall this record had a very lounge bar feel to it. It was piano heavy and the pace of the songs were a lot slower. Honestly, when I think about this band playing these songs live, I have a hard time picturing how they jar themselves from tracks like “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” to “Star Treatment.” But they’ve done it to sold out crowds, so clearly I’ve just got to see it for myself in the future. If I take a step back and look at the album as a whole, the concept is really cool. They’ve taken a sort of detached approach much like they did on their first album and are essentially telling a story about a place and a cast of characters. In this instance, there are a few characters who all inhabit the Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino, a resort located in space. Alright. Turner’s mentioned space in past lyrics, so I suppose I’m not surprised he went all the way there. I guess I admire his commitment to a theme. In fact, Turner also built the cover art for this album, which is actually pretty damn cool.
As far as the music goes though, it’s not my favorite. I would not say that the album is bad; no songs gave me headaches or were so rough I dreaded listening to them a few more times, but this is an album I cannot see myself revisiting in the future. Like ever. There were a trio of songs that maybe stood out among the rest, but still far below anything else the band has put out in the past. “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino,” “Four Out of Five,” and “Batphone” all seemed to present a similar style, and were ultimately a little more fast-paced compared to the rest of the album. I’ll admit I’ve found myself singing bits of these songs over the past week and a half, so that’s also why they stand out as my “favorite” off of the record.
What struck me most about this album was how random all of the instrumentals seemed to be on this record. Almost no beat stood out to me, and some songs even sounded like three or four ideas mashed together in one song. So while I can’t find myself humming any real bits of any of the songs, what stood out more to me were the lyrics. With everything so mellow, it was easier to catch what Turner was saying this time around. Some of the lyrics were honestly comical (and I hope that was intentional), but others were deeply profound. In “Star Treatment,” I love a line near the end that says, “it too the light absolutely forever to get to your eyes.” Aside from just referencing blank faces in the crowd, I imagine that’s how some people know a relationship is over. Double meaning, for sure. “One Point Perspective” had me laughing at the line “bear with me man, I lost my train of thought.” Before fully listening to the song I saw a clip of Alex Turner saying this live, and I thought he legitimately forgot where he was in a song.
Another chunk of songs that really fit together were “American Sports,” “Science Fiction,” “Golden Trunks,” and “She Looks Like Fun.” What really tied them together was a science fiction type sound; a large part of me assumes a theremin was used for each of these tracks. Also, when each of these songs started I immediately thought of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. That’s some iconic imagery! None of those songs really stood out much past their similarities, though. And finally, “The First Monster Truck Front Flip” and “The Ultracheese” were my least favorite. The latter sounded like something the uber-drunks would sing at karaoke night during last call.
All in all, this album was absolutely nothing like I imagined. I knew the band took a big swing in using the piano primarily over the guitar, but it’s a shift that didn’t really resonate with me. As I said before, I can’t see myself coming back to listen to this album in the future, but at least I can say I have. With that, I sincerely hope whatever they put out next is nothing like this. Maybe the extended time off has given Alex Turner more ideas with a guitar. Leave the softer, experimental stuff for The Last Shadow Puppets.