i think that this album feels really rewarding on multiple listens. there is always something new sonically to discover and i found myself enjoying it quite a lot. more than anything i fell in love with alex's weird but intriguing songwriting, songs that could seem about nothing at first grow to have a life of their own once really digesting them properly (something that i liked about am lyrics since their debut)

I had a great time first listen, but was a little lost. Upon second listen I found more meaning in it, and now I really think it’s a special piece of work. Songs like Big Ideas, Body Paint and Mirrorball are some of the best songs of the year

Time Stamps :) there'd better be a mirrorball - 0:21 i ain' t quite where i think i am - 2:34 sculptures of anything goes - 3:53 jet skis on the moat - 5:13 body paint - 6:38 the car - 8:27 big ideas - 10:17 hello you - 11:47 mr schwartz - 12:43 perfect sense - 13:41

9:00 that's how i feel too. Alex said they tried to make a rock album after Tranquility Base, but it sounded like a spoof, so I'm happy they're doing something honest even if part of the fanbase doesn't like it

I’m shocked not enough people talk about Perfect Sense. Imo I think it’s up there. Amazing song, haven’t stopped playing it.

As an Arctic monkeys fan, i love the way they're going because they sound authentic, they sound like they're doing what they really want. And in contrast to the last one, i think the band sound more connected in this one. Maybe this is not for everyone but the more you listen to it the more it grows on you

I'd love a "10 listens in" follow up on this because I was really unsure on first listen and I've grown to love it more and more with each listen

Personally I loved the album, i have lost count of how many times i have listened to it. Love that they are exploring different genres. Thanks for the reaction, hopefully it will make it to your best albums of the year!

They played some of their new tracks live, even better. You must watch. Love, love this album. The evolution, the growth, the maturity of their sound. A testament to true talent and artistry. Also, Alex Turner is a supreme lyricist and his delivery, masterful, and sexy.

There’d Better Be A Mirrorball is still my fave track in the album. Its so beautiful. Big Ideas and Body Paint is a close second!

i’ve been waiting for this!!

With each listen to this album it just got better really really like this album

Your face during "body paint" was exactly what I looked like when I first heard it too. This album definitely takes on more meaning after multiple listens, but is a breath of fresh air

this is a great album , i'm so happy you're reacting to this band aaaaaaaaa🥰. it can take time to grow on you but it's reallllyyyy goooood.

This album is a masterpiece👏🏻😁

I was very mixed at first but the record definitely hits on the 2nd listen. So much stuff stands out and some of their best songs for sure.

This truly gets better and better with every listen, even songs I was unsure of… I know LOVE every song and wouldn’t skip a single track

Love this album, thank you for reacting to it

This is a grower for sure. The instrumentation of various songs are currently running in a loop in my head. Amazing fucking album from Alex and the lads.

The yo mama joke line on Sculptures is hilariously good.

was waiting for this one, can't stop listening to the album when I drive bc it's so easy to listen to

I wasn't feeling the second part of the album that much on the first listen but it really grew on me in a few days so much, I was surprised how quickly that happened. In general I'm still not feeling I Ain't Quite and Perfect Sense, but I love the rest. My favourite songs at the moment are The Car, Mr Schwartz and Sculptures of Anything Goes. The moment some gorgeous instrumentals on this album hit me and I started feeling something, the album became quite personal for me. I can't explain it... Before release day I just hoped I wasn't gonna hate the album, nothing more, and I ended up loving it and listening to songs many times in a day. Not disappointed at all. ❤(It's true though that I would like to hear a bit more quitars on the next album, who knows, time will tell.)

This is so good I been missing em

Totally agree with the comments on bands taking different directions, even if it’s not your cup of tea. Also I’m getting Bowie vibes but so many other artists, but only at points. Hard to describe after a few listens. But, what I’d love them to do with this is a a live orchestra edition like Elbow had on Leaders of the Free World

I'm a big AM (album) fan, so this record wasn't really my taste but I can't deny that they just keep evolving their sound, making top-tier records that are instant classics and while new for them, also feel very them (if this makes any sense lol). Took me a few listens to wrap my head around it, but my personal favourites are Sculputures of Anything Goes and Mr Schwartz, they definitely stand out in my opinion.

I think it'll certainly divide opinions, but to me it is one of their best. On multiple listens I've really found a connection to this album and I think I'm really digging their new direction. When they've performed these songs live, they've displaced the string instruments with an organ making the sound much 'fuller', and I think it's really interesting how they're changing the arrangements of former songs like 505 and Four Out Of Five to better fit this era of their music. The rock band is definitely still in there, Sculptures of Anything Goes and Body Paint prove that to be the case, but I think they're much more mature and not so much as 'in your face' as they once were in their early days. People just have to realise that they're not teenagers anymore - AM is around 10 years old, FWN is around 15 years old - and Alex Turner is 36 now, and with that has immersed himself with different kinds of music over time. I feel like this album is a blend between Submarine, Everything You've Come To Expect, Tranquility Base and Humbug. The Arctic Monkeys have always divided opinions with their sound ever since their first record, but I feel that's a testament to their willingness to follow their gut each time and explore various different styles with each new album that they produce.

I think like all the other comments, the first listen for me I was a bit lost but so slowly for me the melody and especially the layered instrumentation and cinematic feel of the music kept me coming back. Honestly for a while, I’ve been missing music like this for like two - three years. Not something that demands a love at first sight but surrealism and mystery that keeps me engaged. It’s kind of like a slow burn love cause I keep coming back and finding new things to love. Even songs I didn’t expect to like like Body Paint now I dig the absolute hell out of them. I’d love to see a ‘10 listens later’ like you did with LDR. For me it’s 2nd AOTY after Dawn FM

WUADECA DROPPED

This album is just a masterpiece

Thanks for doing this reaction

I didn't know what to make of this album on the first listen, same with Tranquility Base, where I was so thrown by the new direction they had gone into from that rock band, we all knew and loved. I knew instantly that I loved 'There'd Better be a Mirrorball', 'Body Paint' and 'Big Ideas', similar to Tranquility Base, where I knew I loved 'Four out of Five', 'Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino' and 'American Sports'. I know that this will grow on me as the last album did.

Ultimately I think a majority of the songs are a big farewell to the Arctic Monkeys you once knew. While TBH+C is an experiment, this album solidifies this as the direction their normal albums will go down as well.

Album took me 4-5 listens until it clicked now it's absolutely unbelievable, so much emotion in it.

i absolutely loved this album. such a masterpiece 💖

very throwback vibey. 60s and 70s vibes. liked it!

I love love love this album

I loved how you described it: its challenging while being an easy listen at the same time. I liked the album at first but only a few song stood out, after multiple listens it all made perfect sense, no pun intended. All of the songs really clicked, even the ones that sounded like nothing the first few listens. Kinda similar to the tranquility album for me

Out of the two big releases (AM and TS) I came back to this a lot more than Midnights

I very much had the same reaction. I feel like it's a grower album, not a first-listen type of record. I enjoyed some of the songs but I think I haven't come to terms with the fact that the intensity of AM might not come back. Some of the lyrics had me somewhat perplexed but I still enjoyed the record for what it is. It is also very evident that this one was written on piano versus all the previous albums that were written on guitar. Overall a great melancholic experience but I need more time with it to decide if it's up there.

Yessss!!!!!! 🔥

I had the same problems as you during my first listen of "the car", since at some point all songs blended together and created a big convolute of sounds and voices (kinda when the Molly hits :D). But time and perspective as well as multiple listens made me realise what a diamond this album is and that Alex Turner is a master lyricist and Arctic Monkeys a superbly talented band! Also: Tranquillity Base Hotel + Casino as well as The Car are perfect albums to calm down to and in a weird way meditate to.

Very speciel album. Already a few songs have grown on me unbelievebly. So i guess i will just keep om listening and there is many more to come! Other than that, what a beautiful peace of music

The first play I was much like you. 3-4th play I’d started to get it. It hasn’t left my player for a week and played it 35+ times and I absolutely love it. The string arrangements interjected with some wonderful sonic guitar sounds make this record. It’s not AM but it’s a huge leap forward from Tranquility Base. Elements of The Beatles , Bowie or Elton. A contender for album of the year.

One of the best of the year. Mirrorball, jet skis, body paint, and hello you are my favs

We need a reaction of every albumm

Sculptures Of Anything Goes is the shining light of the record. Also, I'd suggest go listen to Body Paint live on Jimmy Fallon or Jonathan Ross, much more energy

I wasn't massively keen to start with, but then after a few listens I was missing it, and they sounded much better. Like you find yourself with a melody in your head as you wake up. Hey, that's art eh

REACT TO THE NEW QUADECA SONGGGG

Lego Napoleon movie is a reference to the conflict and pressure to produce a pop song, when he wants to be making art. Kubrick’s Napoleon is said to be ‘the greatest movie never made’. Alex is poking fun at the cheapening of high art like a Kubrick masterpiece by giving it to “the Lego guys”, and promoting it with Neon (a noble gas) lights underlined in sparks.

Middle 8 does an amazing job deconstructing their previous album if you wanna understand that one more

to me this is such a melancholic experience as a whole, it makes me feel real uneasy in the best way possible. i legit can't stop listening to it, to me it's aoty outside of hip-hop

on first listen side b blended together too but each song ends up standing out in its own way after a few listens :) i love every song now but especially tracks 1,3,4,10

I absolutely loved it. I don't think its meant to be analyzed to death. I think it's about feeling more than anything else and where it takes you. The lyrics are there as a guide to add detail to the experience but not to create it. It feels like the essence of cinema was turned into music and recreated sonically and The Car is what was produced.

Perfect sense is my favorite song on the album

This album is fire 🔥

I instantly loved this album. A few tracks took an extra listen or two, but so much more accessible than TBHC.

i saw them in september and i didnt like yell during perfect sense or hello you, but i decided to listen to it more i love it

let’s goooo

This was a masterpiece and it takes a good 10 listens for it to really hit

React to the new Quadeca

Underrated

Would love to hear your thoughts on this in the future, a couple of weeks and a bunch of listens will make it click, for better or worse

I like this album

Waiting for the Quad reaction😭

Jon you need to check out Willow's new album Coping Mechanism, I was blown away at how good it was.

Bloody excellent album, do feel like the album could have done with some more intensity in Alex's voice but i feel thats just the way it recorded. Because the album is incrementally recorded and not with the band all in one room. I like Alex's voice in the live setting for the songs the band has performed, theres abit more to it. Sometimes the album can feel disjointed but there is a charm in that. Deffo top 5 for me this year

Body paint is an unreal song

Wonder where you are with this album 10 months later? Such a grower this one. TBH&C and The Car are my top AM albums.

1st listen and I was in love

I would love an easy life album reaction

The entire record is perfect for me. But it's totally interpretive. So if you can place it in a place in your life it'll sort itself out. But this is honestly my favorite record of the year/my favorite AM record. I've had such a personal pull to it. that I CAN explain with each track but it'd be weird to just say haha. But I fucking love this record front to back and it's my comfort album.

perfect sense was my favourite on the album - partially because i feel like it was quite an odd song to end on? didn't really feel like an ending at all, contrary to their previous albums that had quite definitive last tracks. some of the songs had me a little lost at first listen but definitely an album that you just have to keep listening to for it to all make sense - definitely prefer this album to tranquility base though!

I agree with preferring them to do something different than to constantly ape the old sound, and I also agree by Mr. Schwartz it does feel it drops off a bit. Fav tracks Sculptures, Body Paint, Mirrorball and Hello You

I’ve not seen any amount of praise for this album until this comment section haha

I think they did an excellent job for what they were going for! I still not sure if it's the Arctic Monkeys I needed, but I'll take it anyway. good album.

Like the album, probably my 3rd/4th favourite AM album, there’s songs I like on humbug more but the album as a whole is better to listen to for me, think the vibe of it is what draws me to it

The more you listen the better it gets!

Third listen was the one for me!

It’s one of my aoty’s might even be aoty for me

milky chance trip tape 2. You will be suprised, its so good.

Will this be on your Patreon?

This one has grown on me

I think the first half of album is great but second half lacks a little for me, awesome album though

At this point I've only listened to the whole album once. Hello You stood out on first listen a lot because the surrounding tracks do blend together. I didn't rate The Car, Schwartz, or Perfect much at all (about 7s for me because they still do sound pleasant). Coming back to Hello I found it's not as good as my first impression had led me to believe, while Mirrorball, I Ain't, Sculptures, and Body Paint grew on me with time and familiarity. I think the album might be too slow for an entire listen's attention span - tranquility has more variation which keeps things interesting while you let the album's quirks grow on you. Also comparing to tranquility, his voice is definitely less forced here, but I grew to like that over-the-top tranquility pronunciation very much.

The album isn't my favourite Arctic Monkeys album thats for sure, but like you said in the video there are some moments. For me Mirrorball is such a beautiful song that I cant stop listening too, possibly one of my favourite arctic monkeys tracks ever

Genuinely believe Body Paint is the best song they’ve done probably since AM, enjoyed tranquility but body paint tops everything on that album for me, unbelievable song

Honestly, I thought this album was terrible on the first listen but as I started listening to it more and getting insight on what others thought about it, I started to realise how good it actually is. I also do agree that the tracks did blend together near the end which definitely took multiple listens to fully comprehend.

I need to give this more of a chance, but on first listen I was left feeling that this is not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, but also not one I personally find enjoyable or exciting. I will listen to this again, but should music feel like hard work (as I'm currently feeling at the thought of going through the album again)? Love them to bits and respect them creating what they feel they want to create but maybe this (and the previous album) just aren't for me.

Did you like new quadeca ?

Dudes, on multiple listenings you'll find connection with anything, if that's what you want.

React to quadecas new song

The first listen I was completely lost, second listen I was in complete shock and on third listen it’s now my favorite album possibly of all time. Thanks Jon!!!!!!

dont know how AM went from indie rock to grandpa lounge music

You should listen to Quadecas new track tell me a joke

Dude There'd Better be a mirrorball is 10 👏👏👏

I really can’t tell from his facial expressions whether he likes it or not sometimes

John!!! Why aren’t you covering the new XO label artists like Chxrry22 , and Black Atlas’s new album which was his album after he left XO label 😢 Please give it a listen it’s worth your time I promise you, the song The Other Side by Chxrry22 is chef’s kiss!

I’m with you on Suck It and See. I don’t hate the album, but it’s probably one of my last favorites. The Car is an album that I didn’t love at first but has really grown on me.

jajajajaja the lyrics jajajaja 11:54

This is what the beatles might have tried out if ya know yoko