The Current's Album of the Week is the new Arctic Monkey's record, 'Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino'. Fans of this band have been waiting five years since the last release 'AM'. After touring that record, the band decided to take a hiatus. Lead singer Alex Turner made a new record with The Last Shadow Puppets, and drummer Matt Helders played drums with Iggy Pop. In 2016 Alex Turner started writing songs for a new record in L.A., using the piano as his main tool in the process. The rest of the band came together and started the recording process. The result came a fresh direction and sound for Arctic Monkeys.

Fans expecting another guitar-riff driven, hooky collection of songs, were quite surprised. Turner and the rest of the band clearly explored some new sonic places in the making of 'Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino'. Get ready for things to get spacey, loungey, and perhaps a little glam at times with themes of science fiction. This is the kind of record that could be called divisive among fans and critics, but the overall impression I've had from reading reviews is that it's been positively received, for the most part.

This is the sixth album from Arctic Monkeys. They are bonafide music stars with a large fan base. At this point in their career, why not shake things up and explore a new direction? Arctic Monkeys have delivered an album that, in my hope, can be listened to for what it is, not a comparison to past work. If a band isn't playing with their style and sonic palette, where are they really going anyway?

Recommended tracks include: "Four Out of Five," "Star Treatment," "One Point Perspective" and "Golden Trunks."

Resources

Arctic Monkeys - Official Site