Arctic Monkeys released their highly anticipated seventh album on Friday (October 21), and fans have been left hugely divided. The Sheffield four-piece, who shot to fame with their breakthrough single ‘I Bet You Look on the Dancefloor’, are back with The Car, an ambitious, string-fuelled follow up to 2018’s Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.
Tranquility Base... – though becoming the band’s sixth consecutive album to debut at number one in the UK – proved hugely divisive among fans, who were split over the markedly different direction their music had taken from their previous albums. Its cosmos-inspired tracks were the polar opposite to 2013’s AM and its distortion-heavy hits like ‘R U Mine?’ and ‘Arabella’.
Though it is yet to be seen how The Car will fare commercially, it has instantly proved yet another divisive album amongst the harshest critics: the fans. NME described the album as “a swashbuckling, strings-fuelled epic,” awarding five stars for its “sharp songwriting, relentless innovation and unbreakable teamwork.”
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But fans have been less generous, describing it using words like “boring” and “tedious” – as well as many that could not be repeated on pre-watershed television. The band – frontman Alex Turner, guitarist Jamie Cook, bassist Nick O’Malley and drummer Matt Helders – gave fans their first taste of The Car at the Zurich Openair festival in August, where they debuted new track, the funky, wah-wah infused ‘I Ain't Quite Where I Think I Am’.
They subsequently released the first single from the album ‘There’d Better Be a Mirrorball’ later that month. Many fans have since called for the band to ditch their new direction in favour of a return to their more guitar-heavy roots, like those found on the hugely successful AM – which NME voted the best album of the 2010s.
‘Arctic Monkeys’ and ‘The Car’ were trending on Twitter throughout its release day (October 21), as fans took to the platform to voice their opinions – with many not pulling their punches. Criticising the album, one fan sarcastically wrote: “It’s a solid 3/10 lads. Well done on smashing it again.”
While another quipped: “Is the title “The Car” an advisory for where the album shouldn’t be listened to as it will make people want to drive themselves off a bridge?”
“I’ll level with you, I’m still coming to the Dublin gig but this is absolute garbage,” said a third.
Despite countless brutal reactions to The Car, there are also many fans who spoke out strongly in its defence, describing it as a “masterpiece” and praising it for showing the band’s “progression in songwriting and subtlety.” One fan said the album showed an “evolution of music, and people, he’s [Alex Turner] not a 20-year-old anymore.”
Another wrote: “This album is so damn good! Makes me need a classic dry martini & jazz club to smoke in for sure. Definitely a new favorite.”
“It’s amazing, a masterpiece thank you thank you thank you,” gushed a third.
One fan simply said: “THE CAR 10/10.”
Earlier this month, Arctic Monkeys added a second date to the Manchester leg of their 2023 UK tour due to high demand, where tickets were being resold online for more than £300. Fans were also reportedly quoted more than £300 for hotel stays for the show dates, with rooms selling out across the city.
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