CD of The Week

If there is any doubt that the Arctic Monkeys are one of the best bands in the world, then that has to be put to rest after the release of another amazing record. AM, a title inspired by the Velvet Underground’s VU, is the fifth release from this four piece out of Sheffield, UK. The fact that this is their 5th quality record since debuting in 2006 is quite remarkable.

One of the things that makes the band so great is that ability to make changes to their style without over doing it. AM is another great example with this, as they went with a deeper rock 'n roll sound. The bass filled melodies really come across in an awesome and bad ass way. The singles "R U Mine" and "Do I Wanna Know" are great examples of this. The lyrics on these songs are actually quite romantic too, which is a great counter balance to the rock 'n roll sound.

An interesting thing happens once you get to track six on this on the record though; they slow it down a bit. Songs called "Number One Party Anthem" and "Mad Sounds" sound a lot like the songs frontman Alex Turner wrote for The Submarine soundtrack. His vocals are really showcased on a bed of strumming guitars and it sounds great.

The Arctic Monkeys can do it all, and this album displays that very well. From harder rock to softer ballads, they are all over the map, and it works so well. It makes you wonder where they will go with their next record. In the mean time, enjoy AM and be sure to check them out when they rock the Skyline Stage at the Mann Centeron September 18th.