Arctic Monkeys have announced the release of their 7th studio Album The Car, the band’s first release since 2018’s divisive Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino. Set for release on October 21st, the 10-track album will feature the new track ‘”I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am” that the band debuted at last night’s shows at Switzerland’s Openair Festival. You can look into pre-order information here.
The new album from Arctic Monkeys, ‘The Car’ is out 21st October. Pre-order now https://t.co/QWACEVpsAr pic.twitter.com/rImMFpEL0b
— Arctic Monkeys (@ArcticMonkeys) August 24, 2022
Whether or not you’re an Alex Turner superfan, there aren’t many people that would be willing to argue against the fact that Arctic Monkeys are one of the most successful, and beloved, bands in the UK today. So, when they began to pop up on festival bills around Europe, many were preparing for a new record. Their first live show since 2019, in Turkey, brought a few hidden gems back to the surface – “Potion Approaching” was played for the first time since 2011 – but there were still no signs of new music. Suck It And See’s “That’s Where You’re Wrong” also popped up in Prague the following week – the first time since 2013. But still, the prospect of new music was kept very much on the down low.
The initial response to TBHAC in 2018 was an odd one. A sci-fi concept album set on the moon… it’s all very different to what we were expecting, many never came to terms with the album’s high concept even to this date. But, in a press release, Turner commented “On this record, sci-fi is off the table. We are back to earth.” At the moment, this could be good or bad news. “I think we’ve got closer to a better version of a more dynamic overall sound with this record. The strings on this record come in and out of focus and that was a deliberate move and hopefully everything has its own space. There’s time the band comes to the front and then the strings come to the front.” The single snippet of the new album we’ve heard so far has definitely maintained the very relaxed dynamic of TBHAC but features some more funky elements that you can hear for yourself in some fan-shot footage from last night’s show.
Arctic Monkeys are set to headline Reading and Leeds Festival this weekend alongside a whole host of significant names – Megan Thee Stallion, Dave, Halsey, Bring Me The Horizon, and most recently The 1975 who are replacing Rage Against The Machine. The festival had to make some last-minute changes last week after Måneskin and Jack Harlow pulled out to play the MTV VMAs. They were later replaced by AJ Tracey and Charli XCX.
