For me, this year was both good and bad for music.
Good because some of my favourite bands released new music, and I got to see loads of great concerts this year (The Strokes a couple of times, Arctic Monkeys, Delta Spirit, Arcade Fire, The National a couple of times, Beirut, Telekinesis, etc).
Bad because I didn't really get into any new bands this year. Partly because new music tended to bore me and partly because I've been swamped with life, law school and everything which falls in between.
So, without futher ado, here's my list of my favourite albums of 2011.
The Black Keys 2012 tour dates: 1/23 Antwerp, Belgium, Lotto 1/24 Lille, France, Zenith 1/25 Paris, France, Zenith 1/27 Hamburg, Germany, Sporthalle 1/28 Berlin, Germany, Arena 1/30 Milan, Italy, Alcatraz 1/31 Zurich, Switzerland, Maag Hall 2/1 Eindhoven, Holland, Klokgebouw 2/3 Nottingham, England, Capital FM Arena 2/4 Edinburgh, Scotland, Corn Exchange 2/6-2/7 Manchester, England, O2 Apollo 2/9-2/10-2/11 London, England, Alexandra Palace 3/2 Cincinnati, OH, U.S. Bank Arena * 3/3 Detroit, MI, Joe Louis Arena * 3/4 Columbus, OH, Jerome Schottenstein Center * 3/6 Portland, ME, Cumberland Co. Civic Center * 3/7 Boston, MA, TD Garden * 3/9 Washington, DC, Verizon Center * 3/10 Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center * 3/12 New York, NY, Madison Square Garden * 3/13 Montreal, Quebec, Bell Centre * 3/14 Toronto, Ontario, Air Canada Centre * 3/16 Indianapolis, IN, Conseco Fieldhouse * 3/18 Grand Rapids, MI, Van Andel Arena * 3/19 Chicago, IL, United Center * 3/20 Cleveland, OH, Quicken Loans Arena * 3/23 Norfolk, VA, Constant Convocation Center *
* = shows with Arctic Monkeys
tix on sale 12/9 to the general public and 12/6 for mailing list members
To all people familiar with The Strokes News, I am currently writing a similar website called Arctic Monkeys News. I'll be posting all new AM information there, so subscribe via RSS feed or follow the twitter. As always, thanks to all of my readers for their continued support.
Arctic Monkeys have come a long way since their hyperactive debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, evolving into a darker, more mature sound heavy on the drums and distortion. They have changed and they have blossomed, but there are certain essential elements which define the band that haven’t changed since 2006. Alex Turner’s interesting lyrics and voice that makes anyone melt weave within songs that are both subversive and groovy.
That being said, Suck it and See is much more like the Sheffield band’s second and third albums than their debut. It seems like the band have found what really drives them artistically and continue to push the limits therein. They draw a lot from the far away guitar sound that Johnny Marr perfected in The Smiths and all of the songs on their fourth album - whether aggressive or slowed down - are deeply emotive. This album makes you feel things, and that's what makes it great. There is not one weak link here, and while the songs are all superbly crafted, they somehow form a very cohesive album when taken together.
“Black Treacle” hosts a super familiar guitar lick and “The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala” could have been taken from Pulp’s discography. “Library Pictures” draws from Arctic Monkeys’ second album more than any other track on Suck It And See, however, there are many allusions to their past work throughout the LP (the following track, “All My Own Stunts” sounds like a song from their third album Humbug). “Love is a Laserquest” is eerie and gorgeous like “Cornerstone” was before it. “Brick By Brick” cements the band’s place as a serious rock band (and one under the wing of Josh Homme), no frills, just volume.
The title track may be the best love song Turner has ever written, and it’s not the lone romantic sentiment on the album. Turner sings “when she laughs the heavens hum a stun gun lullaby” on “Reckless Serenade”, easily the best track on the album, which builds itself over a simple bass line and Alex’s slowed down croon. Here we find AM at their finest, cohesive and slowed down, and leaving an imprint on your memory that is not easily forgotten.
The new Arctic Monkeys album 'Suck It and See' is out next week on June 7th. We are so very excited about the album that we've partnered with independent record stores across the United States to offer you a little something extra for supporting independent retail. Visit a participating indie store to pick up a copy of 'Suck It and See' on CD or LP and you will also receive a limited edition individually numbered Arctic Monkeys letterpress print free with your purchase (while supplies last). A partial list of participating stores is below. If your local store is not listed, please contact them about their participation.
Atlanta – Criminal Records Austin - End Of An Ear Austin - Waterloo Records Baltimore - Sound Garden Berkeley - Rasputin Music Berkeley - Amoeba Records Bloomington – Landlocked Music Boise - Record Exchange Bowling Green - Finders Records Branford – Exile On Main St. Burlington - Pure Pop Charleston - Monster Cincinnati – Shake It Claremont - Rhino/Mad Platter Colorado Springs - Independent Records Columbus - Magnolia Thunderpussy Dallas – Good Records Denver - Twist and Shout Encinitas - Lou's Records Eugene - CD World Fords - Vintage Vinyl Greenville -Earshot Hollywood - Amoeba Records Houston - Cactus Indianapolis - Indy CD & Vinyl Indianapolis - LUNA MUSIC Knoxville - Disc Exchange Las Vegas - Zia Records Lawrence - Love Garden Lawrence - Kief's Lexington – CD Central Long Beach - Fingerprints Louisville - earX-tacy Miami Beach - Uncle Sam's Milwaukee - The Exclusive Company Minneapolis - Electric Fetus Missoula - Rockin' Rudy's Nashville – Grimey’s New York - J&R Music World New York - Other Music New York - Permanent Records New York - Sound Fix Newark - Rainbow Books and Music Norman – Guestroom Records Oklahoma City – Guestroom Records Omaha - Homer's Orlando - Park Avenue Phoenix – Stinkweeds Phoenix - Zia Record Exchange Portland, ME - Bull Moose Music Portland, OR – Jackpot Records Portland, OR - Music Millennium Raleigh - Music Monitor Network Raleigh - Schoolkids Richmond - BK Music Richmond - Plan 9 Rochester - Lakeshore Record Exchange Rochester - Record Archive Sacramento - Dimple Records Salt Lake City - Slow Train San Francisco - Amoeba Records San Jose - Streetlight San Luis Obispo – Boo Boo Records Santa Rosa Beach - Central Square Seattle - Easy Street Seattle - Silver Platters St Louis – Vintage Vinyl Syracuse - Sound Garden Taylorsville - Graywhale Toledo - Culture Clash Tuscaloosa - Oz Music Ventura - Salzer's Walla Walla – Hot Poop West Babylon - Looney Tunes Wilkes-Barre - Gallery Of Sound Yakima - Off The Record
I've spent today listening to the new AM record and the thing that stuck out to me that you can really see in these videos is the tenderness in the new songs. can you dig it?
when I reviewed Humbug, I alluded to my feelings that our favourite Sheffield boys were experimenting with the sound of grimy American bands like Queens of the Stone Age and The Doors. this track affirms my suspicions and I absolutely love it. Alex Turner channeling Jim Morrison is perfect. "do the Macarena in the devil's lair". oh la la.
this isn't my favourite, a bit repetitive but there's something interesting about it...
it gets better after the middle point for sure. the guitar gets sleezy and drawn out. I wish the lyrics were more involved but I do dig the dirtiness of the track. I'm an AM fan through and through and am very excited for their new release this year, more details on that soon.
and sorry, video, but the one for Cornerstone will always be the greatest AM video ever. Alex T, you're a fucking legend.
Audrye Sessions - Audrye Sessions Bombay Bicycle Club - I Had the Blues but I Shook Them Loose Cut off Your Hands - You & I The Dead Weather - Horehound The Dodos - Time to Die Peter Doherty - Grace/Wastelands Morrissey - Years of Refusal The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Regina Spektor - Far Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor
I love it when people make mockeries of highly-sensitive works of art. so when I watched this video, the band's rendition of my favourite song from Humbug (and definitely its most heartfelt), I convulsed with laughter. seriously, genius. my favourite bit was 1:14. well done, Alex. this is the band that I fell in love with. I completely forgive him for his subpar energy at this year's concert.
There’s something about Oakland’s Fox Theatre that attracts shitty opening bands…or maybe it was a bad call by our Sheffield boys, who let the female band The Like to open for them. In any case, I won’t waste your time or mine describing their mediocre set.
Let’s get to the good stuff.
Fans will watch their favourite bands grow up, fall down, and everything in between. They will faithfully sit and stand and cheer, anything to show their unconditional love for their favourite groups. Sometimes, the musicians don’t return the favour.
Sometimes, their personas change to the point that the new “dark, brooding” sound on the latest mature release infiltrates their live set, and they become so subdued that you could almost call them jaded.
Sometimes, all that loud music and reverb, and the ace vocals, sometimes they just don’t cut it, if the band doesn’t seem into it. Sometimes, it’s just too much to see your favourite musicians stare at the floor, almost emptily.
Having seen the Arctic Monkeys on their FWN tour, I was prepared for some high energy shit to go down. I wanted to see them go insane, just like I knew the fans would.
The crowd obliged. The band did not.
Whereas in 2007, I remember Alex was clad in a suit and still managed to maneuver all over the stage via jumps et al, this time around, he went the opposite route with more comfortable jeans, and yet maintained a stationary, restrained position throughout the set. Even after throwing his leather jacket off a few songs into the set, Turner didn’t seem to get comfortable. Fortunately, however, his lack of enthusiasm did not deter the fans—who crowd surfed, danced, and screeched along to all of the lyrics.
Drawing a measly THREE songs from their famed debut (the one that got them where they are in the first place) the Arctic Monkeys managed to deliver even these hyperactive and carefree songs in the night’s signature mellow but loud manner. I thought this was a shitty way to treat the album which millions of fans swear by, playing day in and day out. The rest of their set revolved around their last two albums. On the songs from Humbug, the most notable and engaging thing was, without a doubt, Matt’s drumming. While most drummers strive to create a backbone for their band’s music, sometimes it seems like Alex, Jamie and Nick create background music for the one man show that is Mr. Helders. He was phenomenal and busted out some intense energy through the entire night, especially in their newer song “Sketchhead”. The same thing could not be said of his uncharacteristically self-suppressed frontman. The atmosphere created by Mr. Turner was almost eerie throughout the concert, which resulted from the noticeably subdued delivery from the band. Needless to say, I miss the crazy stage antics and painstakingly emotive facial expressions.
The high points of the show were Alex’s impassioned delivery of the lyric “what came first, the chicken or the dickhead?” (classic) and when the band picked up after the pause in “If You Were There, Beware”; they went kinda wild, which was nice. But sadly, the only times when Alex generally moved were during some of his guitar parts when he didn’t sing: he kinda shook his locks a bit. Speaking of, the man really needs a haircut…it never really bothered me until I saw what he looked like up close.
The low point of the concert was “Dangerous Animals”, a song I didn’t LOVE from the album, but even the recorded version was better than what the band delivered on stage.
The band’s second to last song (before the encore), “Only the Ones Who Know” was placid and sleepy, kind of like the whole show.
The encore included “Fluorescent Adolescent”, which I appreciated, but I still didn’t feel quite right about the show. Dissatisfied is the best possible way to describe how I felt after the concert.
I hope the band can turn around and take a gander at their drummer, and maybe take a page out of his book and remain true to the latter part of their name. I want some more animalistic insanity, not so much the chilly Arctic thing that they’ve adopted.
The musicianship was still really good, so I shouldn’t complain. I still love my Sheffield boys to death, and I know that they’ll return to form soon. Maybe that SPIN article was onto something, maybe we all just have to stay put until their fourth album.
3.4/5
set list:
Dance Little Liar Brianstorm Crying Lightning Potion Approaching Pretty Visitors This House Is A Circus Still Take You Home I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor If You Were There, Beware Sketchhead My Propeller Red Right Hand (Nick Cave cover) Dangerous Animals The View From The Afternoon Cornerstone Only Ones Who Know Do Me A Favour
I always ponder American vs. British music, and try to come to a conclusion about which I prefer. If course, we have The Strokes, but the UK has The Beatles. I mean I could make a list that would go on forever but I’ll spare you. Personally, I prefer indie bands from here more than the ones in the UK; the Americana likes of Delta Spirit get me every time.
Humbug is great because it proves what I’ve believed all along: that American music is more complex and intricate, and therefore superior. Produced by Josh Homme and channeling The Doors like nobody’s business, the new album from Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys shows that the logical conclusion of any evolving band is to draw from guitar heavy American music, and most importantly, revive grunge. Fuck keyboards. Everything is synthesized these days. Not that the album is keyboard-free, it just relies a lot more on Alex’s vocals and Nick’s bass.
In a nutshell, the album progresses with a meticulous perfection that is just hard to come by these days. It’s definitely the band’s most thought out album, which is both good and bad. The carefree attitude that defined Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not is simply irresistible, but Humbug is intriguing in its own way, relying more on wit than teenage restlessness. Sure, it’s got nothing on their first (especially in the lyrics and dance-ability departments), but when you have a debut that good, there’s nowhere to go but down.
The album is dark and sexy (like The Dead Weather), and they even have a couple of toned down numbers, like “Secret Door”. My favourite track is probably “Cornerstone”, which reminds me of really good r&b music from the 60’s. In my opinion, the urgent “Pretty Visitors” would have made an excellent closer, but the band chose to go with “The Jeweller’s Hands”, a creepy track that evokes the feeling of being lost in a room of mirrors in some sort of freaky circus.
The album is worth getting just to be able to hear Alex say “vitamins” in “Potion Approaching”. Oh how I love Queen’s English.
3.75/5
The album was released today in the UK, we Yanks can pick it up tomorrow.
