Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino

I actually love this album. Not my favorite from them but the vibes are executed perfectly.

A new album and sound with a classic feel, genuinely one of my favorites from the band.

Nice and clear vinyl. Great wide sound and high quality.

I was once in the same boat as many of the reviewers here - I truly expected to hate this album. But to my surprise, what was once an unbearable, nerve-wracking wait til the finish line has quickly dissolved into one of the most pleasant stand-out albums of the year. If prior AM albums could be personified as an overly aggressive and excitable cheetah, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino might best be described as a sleek and sophisticated panther that's biding its time in the shadows, stalking its prey. It's not so much that TBH&C is "better" or "worse" than the prior albums. What I'm saying here is - they're different animals entirely. And that's not a bad thing.

In all honesty (for those folks out there shouting about how "out of left field" TBH&C is after the previous AM installation), I still maintain that this album is not so far off the mark from AM's track "I Wanna Be Yours." If you enjoyed that song, and wanted to hear more like it - here it is. Improved upon and expanded upon, as only Alex Turner can do. If you hated that song and can't handle an album full of mostly down-tempo tunes, no matter how good they sound - this album may not be for you.

Lyrically, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is on par with everything else Alex Turner has ever done. It's witty. It's imaginative. It's metaphorical. It's borderline spiritual. But what's really different about this album is the atmosphere that surrounds it from front to back. Almost rock-opera-esque (at least in spirit), TBH&C takes you on an adventure through this three dimensional world Turner created in his mind - a world that creates an unforgettable backdrop of swirling emotion, and ambition lost in space. From start to finish, this album feels like a cohesive story... and that in and of itself is very refreshing.

Musically, I think it's hard to ignore the Bowie-esque crooning that really shines in the midway point of the story. The bass lines are slick and winding, and oftentimes exactly what you'd expect from an AM album. Anyone who says otherwise didn't give TBH&C a chance.

For anyone interested in recommendations - tracks 6 and 7 ("Four Out Of Five" and "The World's First Ever Monster Truck Front Flip" respectively) are stand-out tracks for me, and probably my favorites off the album.

A bit more up-tempo than the rest of the album, "Four Out Of Five" has a lot of that Bowie-esque influence I mentioned front and center vocally as Turner urges you to "take it easy for a little while" and join him on this journey into outer space. The bass line winds and snakes its way around, almost lurking in the background like an animal stalking its prey.

On the flip side (ha!), "The World's First Ever Monster Truck Front Flip" sounds almost theatrical in comparison, despite the Bowie-esque crooning that still remains. A bit more down-tempo than the previous track, this one almost has a spooky ambiance to it. "You push the button, and we'll do the rest..." Turner beckons over and over again in a haunting sort of melody that (thankfully) has nothing to do with monster trucks. If the "button" in question is the repeat button, I'm afraid I'm guilty as charged. Lock me up and throw away the key, Mr. Turner. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino has another permanent resident.

I'm almost disappointed I can't bear to give this album a "four stars out of five" review just for the humor of it, but I can't. It's too good.

In a world full of artists who continue to create albums I'll never want to play straight-through on my record player, AM continue to be the kings of creativity that I've known and loved for years... they've simply evolved and grown over time, and in this case - that's a wonderful thing. I understand that this style of music isn't for everyone, but I feel like the vast majority of the negative reviews are coming from folks who're too resistant to change for their own good. Give this album a chance. At least stream it once before judging it. You may be as pleasantly surprised as I was in the end.

My favourite album of all time, so it does hold a special place in my heart. Nice hefty weight to this one, beautiful gatefold and a nice novel booklet (although some of the lyrics are a bit difficult to read). Love the design on the record itself although the quality could be a little clearer.

Album: 5
Record: 4

Un disco meraviglioso, qui va tutto bene, dalla qualità del suono, all'arrangiamento alle parole

This pressing is great! Mastering/pressing/packaging has been well done here :)

Disappointed with this album bought it on release day and expected so much more, I keep listening to it but just don't get it.

My copy is pretty good - very few complaints. Little to no background noise, properly centered. My copy is slightly warped, but that could have been from sitting at the record store for 2 years before I bought it.

I recommend it!

Glad to see this record has some love SOMEWHERE on the internet. It is going to age pretty well, I predict...

Regarding the pressing - standard black vinyl, nothing outstanding sound quality wise but certainly a fine sounding record. I loved the digital version I figured I needed a physical copy as well. Mine was purchased from Amazon a little bit after release, no booklet, no special variant, just a record in a gatefold sleeve... Can't say I paid more than $15 for it so that is fine.