The Car cover

The Car

Released

Following the dazzling stylistic volte face of 2018’s Tranquillity Base Hotel And Casino, Arctic Monkeys’ seventh album found them in similarly lavish, 70s soul-draped surroundings. Thematically, The Car brings things back down to earth after the lunar-based sci-fi excursions of its predecessor, but Alex Turner’s cinematic one-liners are no less beguiling, with lush orchestration and some excellent 70s rock guitar solos adding wonderfully to the sense of elegance and opulence. To the consternation of some fans, it was yet another move away from the chip shop queue vignettes of their debut, but further proof that Turner and his band operate in a league of their own.

Chris Catchpole

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