Why I've Lost Interest in Arctic Monkeys

The Arctic Monkeys will never be the same. They suffer from something I call Multidimensional Music Syndrome, i.e., trying to actually put some depth into their work, and not just pleasing fans. I'll explain. Their first album, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not," was great. It was, for all practical purposes, a concept album. The songs were about being a bored teenager in Sheffield, where the band is from. Alex Turner, the Monkeys' frontman, is a very clever lyricist. He brought wit and charm to otherwise mundane tales of underage drinking, party-going, and the general sort of shenanigans that go along with being a wild teenager. It was really good! They turned out a really solid first album and became an instant success. Now, with such success comes a problem. Will they stick to the formula, or branch out? Most bands opt for the latter, even unintentionally, since duplicating such work is quite difficult, unless your style is extremely formulaic to begin with. So, the sophomore album was quite different. As with all bands, evolution is inevitable, and the changes that came with the second album were... well, different. Not so much "Riot Van," more like "Leave Before The Lights Come On." And that's ok, I mean, you can't stay still with your music for too long. But, personally, I liked the Monkeys that we met in the first album better. The second just didn't do for me. Their third album looks like it will continue down this road. The Kings of Leon did this, too. They went from raunchy Southern riffs to expansive arena rock, and it doesn't look like they're turning back. But, I like their new style all right, and their old stuff is still great, so it's all good. However, the Arctic Monkeys are moving towards some sort of psychedelic stylings, according to the band, which is just not the band that I was so enthused with three years ago. Some bands can pull off this transition well, namely, the Strokes. These sorts of garage rock groups begin with simpler songs, lyrics that are a bit more raw, both in topic and in structure, and then move on into more complicated instrumentation, deeper producing, a cleaner, more polished sound, and become more experienced in the studio. The Hives, the White Stripes, the Black Keys, and many other bands have gone through this. Most of these bands have been able to hold my interest throughout, but that really just isn't the case with Arctic Monkeys. But, that's ok, that's just how the band is, and they still have plenty of fans, so, that's all right by me.