By Nicholas Carpenter || Contributing Writer
The English rock band Arctic Monkeys will be releasing their seventh studio album on
October 21, 2022, titled The Car. It is their follow-up album to 2018’s Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, following a similar musical style but more “earthly” compared to its space hotel-themed predecessor. The Arctic Monkeys change their style for every studio album, and The Car is no different, with the sound of the album being completely different from anything the band has done before. According to Arctic Monkeys lead singer Alex Turner, the sound of the album is“dynamic” and “cinematic”. The style of the album has been described as reminiscent of DavidBowie, with greater use of strings and drums alongside a generally faster sound compared to Tranquility Base. The Arctic Monkeys are known for their lyrics, and The Car has been said to feature some of the most heartfelt and stylish lyrics Alex Turner has written.
Two singles from the album have been released during the lead-up to its release. “There’d
Better Be a Mirrorball,” the lead single off of The Car, is a slow and heavily emotional song with James Bond-esque instrumentals. It was released on August 30, 2022, directly before the album’s full announcement the following day. The song seems to describe the feelings after a breakup, with lyrics such as, “So if you wanna walk me to the car… You oughta know I’ll have a heavy heart” and “I’d throw the rose tint back on the exploded view… Darling, if I were you.” Fans have also theorized that “Mirrorball” is about the band itself, with the “mirrorball” in the song representing the excitement of the fans toward new material from the band. About one month later, the second single was released on September 29, titled “Body Paint.” The song features many diverse instrumentals with a powerful outro. The song seems to be about an ex-lover cheating, with the “body paint” representing the stain of unfaithfulness still on the person even long after the incident.
While the other songs on the album haven’t been released yet, some have been playing
during Arctic Monkeys’ fall tour. These songs are “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am, Mr.
Schwartz,” and “Big Ideas.” The third song mentioned may be released as a single later on. There are five songs off of The Car that have not been played publicly yet in any form. These are “Sculptures of Anything Goes,” “Jet Skis on the Moat,” “The Car,” “Hello You,” and “Perfect Sense.”
The Arctic Monkeys have also recently announced tours of North America, Europe, and
the United Kingdom in 2023 as well, focusing on the new album. The Car will be released on online audio streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, and will be released physically as a vinyl record. It will be released on Friday alongside Taylor Swift’s Midnights and Carly Rae Jepsen’s The Loneliest Time.
First-year Nicholas Caarpenter is a Contributing Writer. His email is ncarpent@fandm.edu.