Music Review: Arabella

Arabella - Arctic Monkeys

Oh good, it's my favorite band in the world (sarcasm). You can tell by the artwork for their latest album how exciting this band are, not very is the answer. I am going to be reviewing one particular song from their new album but really the same review could be applied to any of the other tracks from AM as they all suffer from being just the same old shit, capped off with diabolical R U Mine (ARE YOU MINE, I don't get why people do that). Is it really any surprise when the album looks like this, there just isn't any creativeness. The album was rated very highly by critics, especially NME who proclaimed it was the best album of the year. NME of course famous for being morons 99% of the time. They thought Leeds and Berlin were the coolest places in the world, need I say more.

I choose to review Arabella as it has been heralded as a song that is heavily influenced by classic rock and being as that is sort of my specialist genre I decided to see how it compares to the all time greats. The song title is actually a portmanteau word and is the combination of lead singer Alex Turner's girlfriend and a 1968 sci-fi film called Barbarella which looks absolutely terrible. Maybe he's trying to say that his girlfriend looks like shit, I don't know. What I do know is that it creates a horrible word that means I can't really take this song very seriously, not very classic rock is it, then again neither is bragging about your girlfriend. The inspiration for the song is the words of physicist Brian Cox. Yes, you read me correctly there, very rock and roll. Could've sung about philosophy or mythology but no, physics lectures.

To my amazement the song really isn't that bad. It begins with a good baseline and a solid drum beat, things that are often overlooked on more modern tracks and so it's nice to see it here, in fact everything is going well until you know who opens their very dull and expressionless mouth. I'm sorry it just doesn't fit the genre, it belongs back where the old Arctic Monkeys where, and that's not a good place. It's a shame as this song had really good promise but they've made the common mistake of becoming a band that tries to do something that they're not and they just can't pull it off, switching genres where they really don't belong. It shows as the song still feels like an indie rock hit despite the classic elements. They do give it a shot though and the song is well paced and has a good structure, if a bit linear and the climax is a little disappointing, the guitar solo is far too short and actually gets cut off by Mr. Charisma's voice which is a shame as again like the rest of the song, it had promise. There is also a faint whiff of Led Zeppelin about it as well, which I like a lot, but I couldn't imagine The Arctic Monkeys ever bringing the same chemistry and charisma to a song like Zeppelin could. The lyrics are as follows:

Arabella's got some interstellar-gator skin boots
And a helter skelter 'round her little finger and I ride it endlessly
She's got a Barbarella silver swimsuit
And when she needs to shelter from reality she takes a dip in my daydreams

I think Arabella is his vision of perfection which must reference to his girlfriend. He's basically saying that she's beautiful, but he'd prefer a mutant. Very romantic. I am concerned she's found interstellar gator skin boots which means she's probably an alien species, this guy has got fucked up desires, but what he does in his spare time is none of my business. The rest of that just makes no sense.

   My days end best when this sunset gets itself
Behind that little lady sitting on the passenger side
It's much less picturesque without her catching the light
The horizon tries but it's just not as kind on the eyes

What? The horizon doesn't catch the light of the sunset, this just makes no sense.

As Arabella
As Arabella
Just might have tapped into your mind and soul
You can't be sure

Oh god she has mind controlling powers, I remember seeing something like that in Alien and that didn't end well. I'm starting to wonder what he actually sees in this thing.

Arabella's got a 70's head
But she's a modern lover
It's an exploration, she's made of outer space
And her lips are like the galaxy's edge
And her kiss the colour of a constellation falling into place

(Chorus)

All forms of biological life are made from outer space so she really isn't that special. Don't know what it means by the galaxy's edge, could mean distant, cold, who knows. The rest is as confusing as the other parts of the song.

That's magic in a cheetah print coat
Just a slip underneath it I hope
Asking if I can have one of those
Organic cigarettes that she smokes
Wraps her lips round the Mexican coke
Makes you wish that you were the bottle
Takes a sip of your soul and it sounds like…

Mexican coke by the way is imported in America due to it having a more natural taste, as is the theme for this verse, although I've never heard a women referred to as natural before. The rest is just this pointless drivel that doesn't really refer to anything in particular apart from the women in question. I expected there to be some sort of progression with this song but I end up disappointed, you could basically copy and paste the first verse and it would sound almost the same.

This song was ceratinly well received by fans, Tips logged on to Amazon to say:

"Awesome album.
Change of style from previous 2albums; however lyrically they are as sharp as ever.
Their maturity shines through and is definitely an outstanding addition to my music collection.
Love it!"
No they're not lyrically sharp, this song proves that. It's just the same dry drab that we've become used to, there is no real message to the song and it tries to be deep but ends up just being confusing. Maturity is one of the problems, when have classic rock bands ever done anything mature, it makes them who they are. With The Arctic Monkeys I get the impression that they're the sort of people you borrow a stepladder from, they don't have any character.

The review on beatsperminute.com says:

"For those who think Arctic Monkeys are at their best when they’re at their fastest and heaviest, there’s “Arabella,” a trippy love song with a savage riff that is forever indebted to Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” Turner pulls out all the superlatives to describe this particular woman: “She’s made of outer space/Her lips are like the galaxy’s edge/And her kiss is the colour of a constellation falling into place.” I think he likes her."

I'd hardly call the riff savage, not saying it's bad but I wouldn't compare it to War Pigs, I don't think they sound similar at all but then maybe that's just me, and if Alex Turner is trying to impersonate Ozzy then I'm offended. Ha, pulls out all the superlatives, Imagine saying to a women that you got your pick up lines from Brian Cox.

Overall then this song just tries to do a bit too much and then inevitably pulls up short. There is a fine line between surreal and just plain confusing that means the lyrics end up feeling meaningless. I certainly admire this song, after all it is different from the same generic crap we get from every other so called rock band but it still somehow feels the same as every other Arctic Monkeys song; underwhelming, uninspired. It's a step in the right direction and the song has good motives, it just can't pull them off.

Overall Rating: 4/10 **

A typically John Cooper Clarke-esque wonder of wit and wordplay sees in track four with Turner spitting: "Arabella's got some interstellar gator skin boots, and a helter skelter and a little finger and I ride it endlessly. From there, 'Arabella' takes on a meaty and lean classic rock rush with choppy guitar work and a chunky rhythm section that shows clear influence from their former touring buddies The Black Keys. A future Monkeys' classic? Maybe, whatever, but it sounds bloody brilliant live.
Read more at http://www.gigwise.com/news/83953/track-by-track-review-arctic-monkeys---am#CXplkZ0wi8QfTUS0.99

A typically John Cooper Clarke-esque wonder of wit and wordplay sees in track four with Turner spitting: "Arabella's got some interstellar gator skin boots, and a helter skelter and a little finger and I ride it endlessly. From there, 'Arabella' takes on a meaty and lean classic rock rush with choppy guitar work and a chunky rhythm section that shows clear influence from their former touring buddies The Black Keys. A future Monkeys' classic? Maybe, whatever, but it sounds bloody brilliant live.
Read more at http://www.gigwise.com/news/83953/track-by-track-review-arctic-monkeys---am#CXplkZ0wi8QfTUS0.99

A typically John Cooper Clarke-esque wonder of wit and wordplay sees in track four with Turner spitting: "Arabella's got some interstellar gator skin boots, and a helter skelter and a little finger and I ride it endlessly. From there, 'Arabella' takes on a meaty and lean classic rock rush with choppy guitar work and a chunky rhythm section that shows clear influence from their former touring buddies The Black Keys. A future Monkeys' classic? Maybe, whatever, but it sounds bloody brilliant live.
Read more at http://www.gigwise.com/news/83953/track-by-track-review-arctic-monkeys---am#CXplkZ0wi8QfTUS0.99

A typically John Cooper Clarke-esque wonder of wit and wordplay sees in track four with Turner spitting: "Arabella's got some interstellar gator skin boots, and a helter skelter and a little finger and I ride it endlessly. From there, 'Arabella' takes on a meaty and lean classic rock rush with choppy guitar work and a chunky rhythm section that shows clear influence from their former touring buddies The Black Keys. A future Monkeys' classic? Maybe, whatever, but it sounds bloody brilliant live.
Read more at http://www.gigwise.com/news/83953/track-by-track-review-arctic-monkeys---am#CXplkZ0wi8QfTUS0.99