Arctic Monkeys – Vinyl Mag

Hot Picks Playlist // October 7th

Posted on October 8, 2021October 7, 2021 by Zeina Khalife

Need something to accompany the warm tones and eerie, anticipative air of the fall? Explore some magical releases and recent replays from artists we cherish.

Featured artists from the tracks:

Fishbug, thundering femme-fronted punk for the soul. An exciting up-and-coming gem out of Athens. Beautifully reminiscent of 00’s pop-punk jams, reclaiming the energy of that era with raw, emotive rock. Check out Inchworm, their first full-length album.

For fans of Chastity Belt, Warpaint, and Paramore.

NOV3L, danceable and syncopated punk, fused with eccentric funk and disco tones. Notably evocative of 80s art-pop and new wave punk. Flaunting weaponized lyrics of desperate political cry-outs, they authentically usher a sense of social urgency through their music. Not to mention all of this rides joyfully on the back of addictive, angular, zingy guitar riffs. Pretty much everything about this band feels postmodern in an entirely fresh sense.

For fans of Preoccupations, New Order, Talking Heads, and perhaps even The Strokes.

Wet Leg: A sudden burst of talent out of Isle of Wight, England, nailing the present-day influx of mesmerizing yet deadpan punk, started by just two seeds of impeccable talent. Lingering influences of French punk and disco are only some of my favorite facets of this duo.

For fans of The Raveonettes, Dry Cleaning, Porridge Radio.

Dora Jar: Exhilarating pop-machine riddled with electronic, hip-hop, and indie folk-rock. Singlehandedly changing the game for bedroom pop, Dora Jar’s quite on the verge of blowing up.

For fans of MARINA, dodie, Arlo Parks.

Yard Act: An additional result of the collective British rendition of 80s post-punk, Yard Act too have the potential of taking the British intellectual band scene by storm. Already having paved a considerable path of brilliance with their few released singles, Yard Act, in a similar fashion to the undefined NOV3L, naturally acquire all attributes of doomsday punk music.

For fans of Arctic Monkeys, Sleaford Mods, shame.

Arctic Monkeys: AM

Posted on September 10, 2013October 8, 2013 by Kate Foster

Old-school Arctic Monkeys diehards, please don’t hate us for saying this: AM has got to be the group’s best album yet. With the perfect blend of rock n’ roll and pure, unadulterated sex appeal, Alex Turner and crew have churned out a masterpiece from start to finish.

Let’s start with the singles. Yes, those slow, blues-y numbers that make you want to crawl into bed with someone you love – or anyone, really. Though “Do I Wanna Know?”, “R U Mine?”, and “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” – the inquisitive tracks on the record – do sound quite similar, we’re entirely okay with it. After all, who could resist the gluttony of three racy tracks chock-full of Turner’s crooning English vocals, sexy, measured instrumentals, and lyrics that make you wonder if the Monkeys are philosophers on the side?

But, in very versatile Arctic Monkeys fashion, AM offers another dimension, and a very beautiful one at that. Take “No. 1 Party Anthem” – one listen and there’s that “lump in your throat” mentioned in the track. A clean, retro piano backs up a narrative likely written about Turner: “Leather jacket, collar popped like Cantona/Never knowing when to stop/Sunglasses indoors, par for the course.” The final track on the album, “I Wanna Be Yours” offers the same seductive air, but in a much more romantic sense. The quartet carries on their love of metaphors, somehow instilling pure splendor into the likes of a vacuum cleaner, coffee pot, parking meter, and portable heater.

There are, of course, some tracks that don’t quite fit either of these molds. The magic here is in the fact that they still flow seamlessly in and out of the record. We couldn’t possibly review AM without mentioning “Arabella”. The track mentions Arabella’s “70s head”, a notable coincidence – or perhaps not – because of the song’s classic rock, 70s vibe. With this one, the boys show their instrumental complexity and skill.

But don’t stop there – this is one album you’ve gotta listen to all the way through. Hidden gems abound. You’ll thank us later.