The Arctic Monkeys, for those who aren’t acquainted, are a young British indie rock band.  From all those adjectives, one could predict that this band is awesome.  I think they are.  Britain does too.  They have quickly become popular in the motherland, and are now becoming known in the states.  The band just released their fifth album “AM.”

The opening song, “Do I Wanna Know?” leads the album with a really great vibe.  Upon hearing this popular single for the first time, I couldn’t have been more excited or rocked out any harder.  The guitar alone could persuade anyone to keep listening within seconds.  Right away, we can see a drastic change in Arctic’s style since their first album, only 7 years ago.  Their quick rise to popularity in Britain and the U.S. alike appears to have propelled their artistic growth to an accelerated rate.  This album is clearly an experiment with their sound, and has moved from an energetic indie rock to a slower psychedelic rock.  Their old sound, like their first single “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor,” and new sound alike are compelling.

“R U Mine?” is the second track and another hit single released last year.  Arctic Monkeys are really going for soul in this album, and are pulling it off.  Unfortunately, a couple of slow songs that come after are a little boring.  Though Arctic is free to go in a more psychedelic direction, they could have used a few breaks to change the mood up with their old energy.

Luckily, “No. 1 Party Anthem” makes an appearance half way through and leads the way for a great rest of the album.   The kind of slow British anthem that’s great for humming to yourself.  Some other tracks worth noting are singles “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” and “I Wanna Be Yours” that follow up with more lyrical intrigue and groovy vibes.  Overall, Arctic Monkeys did a great job experimenting with their sound and produced a fun album.