For the First Time Since 'AM'

The internet is abuzz today with Arctic Monkeys fans. The release of their sixth album, Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino, has caused a wide range of emotions among both the fanbase and critics alike. This reaction is pretty par for the course when it comes to the band's endeavors, as they are notorious for doing complete 180s in their sound. If I remember correctly, there was a time when people were unsure about how they felt about AM4, Suck it and See.

So, considering this leap of change is the one of greatest distance, it is understandable that most listeners are completely thrown off. The new album has been described frequently as the sound of a "piano bar on the moon."

For me personally, I wasn't particularly thrown off by the change in sound. Listening to Arctic Monkeys albums all the way through will definitely leave a shock when reaching Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino, but lucky for us, Arctic Monkeys aren't Alex Turner's only project. The sideshow project, The Last Shadow Puppets, that Turner formed with fellow Brit-pop musician Miles Kane in 2009 has shown a progression that more predictably leads to Tranquility Base. In fact, one of the main artists used as inspiration for the album is the late Leonard Cohen. It just so happens that Everything You've Come to Expect, the most recent release from The Last Shadow Puppets, actually features a cover of Cohen's "Is this What you Wanted." With this in mind, it seems the progression to Tranquility Base is natural and almost expected. It's best to keep this in mind as to not be completely thrown off while listening to the new album.

Alex Turner, who sings "I just wanted to be one of The Strokes" in his opening track, takes a play out of Julian Casablancas' book, and experiments with whatever feels right musically. The result is an album very reminiscent of 80s pop/rock mixed with soft 70s. Of course, David Bowie is the most obvious, and frequent, comparison, what with the references to science fiction and the space sounds throughout the album. There are, however, other influences worth noting. Most of the songs on the album sound as if they could almost be descendants of what would happen if avant-garde musicians, Scott Walker and Lou Reed, collaborated on a classic French film. Once you do throw Bowie into the mix, you have a pretty accurate idea of what Tranquility Base is like without having to listen to it.

You can also hear where each of the contributing members come in. Frequent collaborator, Josh Homme, makes himself apparent in the dark riffs in the album. All throughout the track "Batphone," there are chords that sound as if Queens of the Stone Age was slowed down, put through a synthesizer, and played on piano. Not to mention, if you listen very closely, you can almost hear Homme in the studio, suggesting the hook "She Looks Like Fun" in the track of the same name. Matt Helder's ideas are all there too. The drums and background vocals aren't too different from that of 2013 Arctic Monkeys album, AM, especially in the soon-to-be hit song, "Four out of Five" (AKA the only track on the record that 'sounds like' it belongs to the Arctic Monkeys and not The Last Shadow Puppets). It must be addressed, however, that poor Jamie Cook is left guitar-less for the majority of the album. Safe to say the upcoming tour will be a boring one for him unless he can learn to take up the piano in the next few days. Not to worry, Mr. Cook, the fans still love you the same.

In summary, Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino is an experimental, avant-garde, 'space themed' concept album that pulls ideas from artists across the board. I give it four stars out of five, and not just because of the track name either. While I don't necessarily consider the album what I would typically be into musically, the blend of influences is definitely a breakthrough. New ideas in music? Now that's something I am into. Good job boys.