The Daily Spin, September 14

Arctic Monkeys | AM

Welcome back to the Daily Spin, the series in which I review 365 albums during 2023. 

Each album will be given a rating on a scale from 0 to 10. You can look at the entire set here. Additionally, you can check out a list of my favorite song from each album right here.

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Album: AM (2013)

Artist: Arctic Monkeys

Link:

      

It’s hard to deny just how delightful AM is, a decade on - far and away Arctic Monkeys’ best work, the sort of rocking and powerful guitar work that stands the test of time with ease. It’s like if The Neighbourhood went and got themselves a little bit of an edge and an energy drink or four, and I can’t help but adore it. 

From the literal first gasp of noise, the tone of this album is undeniably clear, a deeply sawing guitar trudging heavy over a classically rock-infused boom-clap backbeat. Over it, Alex Turner croons in his classically noir-ish style, never rough, never too severe, but comfortably set in its ways. 

Under the rainy scene of it all, there’s a really delightful intensity to the album, even in the less driven tracks - sure, ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ is a hell of an opener, but the rest of the album pushes in a way that keeps it firmly in my driving rotation - songs like ‘Arabella’ and ‘Knee Socks’ kicking the way the Black Keys have refined to an art, just a little more British - instead of an El Camino, it’s a Austin Healy or somesuch. 

Half love, half heartbreak, all of it a beautifully orchestrated record, tight where it needs to be, free at heart. Can’t be mad about that. 

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Rating: 8.7/10

Best Tracks: Do I Wanna Know?; Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?; I Wanna Be Yours

Worst Tracks: No. 1 Party Anthem