Arctic Monkeys – Opening Night Review

Irrespective of the quality, the clamour for more from Arctic Monkeys, or anything culturally notable, it’s worth applauding those involved in the War Child project. The bigger the names the better, and those featured are doing right by the cause so crucial to modern times. Help(2) brings together artists whose comments are now being backed by action. Vital doesn’t cover it. The music is an incentive to get involved for some, and that will make more people aware. James Ford’s pool of musicians is a crucial part to this Help(2) War Child album, not least because it means the likes of Pulp, The Last Dinner Party, and Fontaines D.C. are on hand to deliver new material. Bringing Arctic Monkeys out of hibernation for Opening Night, is a masterstroke. The song, too, is strong. We shouldn’t read too much into what it means for Arctic Monkeys, whether this is their last or a new sound, but we should treat this with the same care that went into the making of the song.  

To put the charitable good aside for a moment, this is a real test of the waters from the Alex Turner-fronted band. Whether they carry on in future is yet to be seen and heard, but if they do, they sound capable of keeping up with the new wave of contemporary, alternative rock artists. Many of them are featured on Help(2), like Fontaines and The Last Dinner Party, but Arctic Monkeys’ pivot into the artier rock style of the last eight years is disliked only by those who fear change and ageing. Those who know Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino and The Car are their best works are well catered to. Turner and the band play up that art rock styling but soften the blow a little with some stripped-back instrumental stylishness. It makes all the difference for those who aren’t as convinced about their artistic growth, those who would rather have the band flounder in a sound they had already conquered and done all that they can with.  

All that to say the surrealist writing style Turner has taken to, the Americana tone and spiritually inclined message paired with that ever-present rock and roll experimentation is still delightful. Listen that little bit closer, cut through the thrilling experimental edge, and Arctic Monkeys are still maintaining their comments on relationships, on tenderness over the course of a decade. That one-sided heaviness has some brilliant subtlety to it, that sense of being the one to give and give and not receive anything in return. Arctic Monkeys are still, crucially, managing to lay down some brutal, punchy work where it matters most. Opening Night hasn’t quite got the edge of their previous works, but it acts as a natural progression to The Car.  

Tonally and emotionally, Arctic Monkeys remain a safe draw, but it seems Turner is stronger than the instrumental work here, which never used to be all that big a problem. The gap was smaller the last time around, the guitar riffs or driving force of percussion would overtake what Turner had to say. This time it feels different. A bit of a drift occurs on Opening Night, which highlights Turner as a voice who can break from Arctic Monkeys. He’s proven that in the past with The Last Shadow Puppets. But crucially, too, it sounds as though the band are still in control of a quality that far exceeds their contemporaries. That’’ll be a great reassurance to those wanting more from the band, and there’ll be few not wanting another album, another tour, from the group after hearing this. Opening Night is far from their strongest works but it’s still an admirable effort from a band whose longevity is matched by the desire they have to continue commenting and creating.