Arctic Monkeys surprise us with ‘Body Paint’, another single from their upcoming album ‘The Car’
In their usual fashion, the group keep quiet until the very last minute before their release.
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Arctic Monkeys’ new track Body Paint debuted on BBC Radio 1 as usual, before gracing our Spotify accounts shortly after.
Mixed reactions followed the release, with the more old-school fans lamenting that frontman Alex Turner had betrayed his Sheffield roots. Others revel in his unpredictability, soaking up the smooth dramatics the group have offered.
The song is soaked in romance and glamour, whilst a touching vulnerability runs sneakily through the puzzling lyrics. The slow, lulling drums pave the way for falsetto vocals to navigate through the song. With strings complimenting the vocals, the track is built for the silver screen.
In an interview for the Guardian, Turner talks of coming to terms with the idea that not everything has to be a pop song. This evidently comes through in the track. The group have secured a new direction and influence and are rightfully completely unapologetic. As the years have gone on, the band have slightly pushed back against those who slate the band for their differing creative directions.
Based on what we have seen so far, and their stellar performance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Car is sure to evoke mixed opinions, but perhaps the controversial choices are part of the group’s genius. Following the crowd would undoubtedly stifle the group’s creativity, which is precisely why I think The Car could have the potential to be their best work to date. Only time will tell. Roll on the album!
The band have since announced a North American tour with support from Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C..