Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is the sixth studio album by English rock band Arctic Monkeys. It was released on 11 May 2018 by Domino Recording Company.
The album was written by band frontman Alex Turner in 2016 on a Steinway Vertegrand piano in his Los Angeles home, and features a lush sound, embodying lounge pop, space pop, glam rock and psychedelic pop, as well as elements of jazz. It is a major departure from the band's previous guitar-heavy work, considered notably less accessible than the band's previous release, the internationally successful AM. It was produced in Los Angeles, Paris and London by frequent Arctic Monkeys collaborator James Ford and Turner, alongside a wide array of guest musicians including Tom Rowley, Loren Humphrey, James Righton, Zach Dawes, Tyler Parkford and Cam Avery. Its lyrical content draws heavily from science fiction and film, exploring consumerism, politics, religion and technology through the concept of a luxury resort on the moon. Turner designed the album's artwork himself, which depicts the titular hotel through cardboard cut-outs and a tape recorder.
Despite its stylistic deviation polarising listeners, the album was released to generally positive reviews and became the band's sixth consecutive number-one debut in the UK, as well as the country's fastest-selling vinyl record in 25 years. Following the album's release, it was promoted by the single "Four Out of Five", as well as a global tour.
Video Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Background and recording
The band's fifth studio album AM was released on 9 September 2013. The album was critically acclaimed, and brought the group new levels of commercial success. On 1 April 2016, Alex Turner's psychedelic pop side project the Last Shadow Puppets released their second studio album Everything You've Come to Expect. In April 2017, Turner co-produced Alexandra Savior's debut album Belladonna of Sadness with James Ford. This was Turner's first foray into record production, with the two proceeding to produce Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. Meanwhile, drummer Matt Helders joined Iggy Pop's band for Post Pop Depression, as well as contributing to "Diamond Heart" from Lady Gaga's Joanne, and marrying actress Breana McDow.
Following the international success of AM, Turner suffered from writer's block, struggling to find a direction for a new album. Having written "Sweet Dreams, TN" from Everything You've Come to Expect, he lost interest in writing love songs, with a friend suggesting "not doing that for a moment". In early 2016, upon watching Federico Fellini's 1963 film 8½, Turner was inspired by its depiction of writer's block, childhood memories and the science fiction genre. He began writing songs for the album on a Steinway Vertegrand piano he received as a 30th birthday gift from the band's manager Ian McAndrew, in a spare room of his Los Angeles home dubbed "Lunar Surface". During the process Turner recalled piano lessons he had received from his father at the age of eight, commenting that he "never thought [his father's influence] would find its way into [his] compositions as much as it has on this record". Many of the vocal takes on the album remain from Turner's home demos on a Tascam 388 8-track recording machine. Guitarist Jamie Cook commented that he "was blown away by the direction Alex had gone in" when Turner played the band the demos in February 2017. Initially unsure how they would record the songs, Cook suggested Turner release it as a solo album, but Turner was uninterested. Cook began recording guitar ideas to complement the demos, with bassist Nick O'Malley approving of the album's new direction upon hearing a demo of "Star Treatment".
In September 2017 the band began recording material at Vox Studios in Hollywood and La Frette in Paris, with long-time collaborator James Ford co-producing the album with Turner. During these sessions the piano and guitar started to "jell", with O'Malley and drummer Matt Helders joining. Helders commented that during recording he played with more restraint than on previous records, noting that "it's about playing for the songs". Further recording sessions took place with Ford in London. The group employed a wider array of guest musicians than on previous albums, with contributors including Ford, guitarist Tom Rowley (who serves as a touring member of the band), Guards drummer Loren Humphrey, Zach Dawes and Tyler Parkford of Mini Mansions, and Cam Avery of Tame Impala, who contributes backing vocals to "She Looks Like Fun". The musicians all played together in the same room, inspired by the sessions for the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and Phil Spector's Wall of Sound production method. Avery and Parkford both joined the band as touring members following the album's release.
Maps Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Composition
Musical style and influences
The album is a departure from the band's previous guitar riff-driven work, resultant of Turner's usage of the piano over the guitar in its composition. It has been characterised as lounge pop, space pop, glam rock and psychedelic pop, as well as incorporating influences from jazz. Its sound has been described as "subdued, but warm and classic in the way that musicians who seek out storied mixing consoles aspire to", as well as "lush and claustrophobic". The album's songs are melodically rich, with unconventional chord progressions, often abandoning the traditional "verse" and "chorus" structure. The album has been noted for its lack of distinct hooks, and its tendency to resist "casual consumption". Instrumentally the album incorporates vintage electric keyboards and synthesisers reminiscent of space age pop. Keyboards utilised on the album include organs, pianos, harpsichords and dolceolas, as well as the Orchestron, Farfisa and RMI Rocksichord. Multiple tracks feature baritone and lap steel guitars in addition to the electric and acoustic guitars typically utilised by the band, as well as a variety of percussion instruments, including rotary timpani and vibraphones.
The album has been compared to the works of David Bowie, Serge Gainsbourg, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker and Father John Misty, as well as Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. Turner has cited Gainsbourg's Histoire de Melody Nelson, Cohen's Death of a Ladies' Man, Dion's Born to Be with You and François de Roubaix's score for Le Samouraï as key influences. The album's rhythm tracks and bass lines have been compared closely to those on Histoire de Melody Nelson, with the influence of Pet Sounds pervading the record, especially in its vocal harmonies.
Lyrics and themes
Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is a concept album depicting a luxury hotel at Tranquility Base, the location of the 1969 moon landing. Lyrically, the album refers frequently to science fiction, incorporating hyperrealist satire and "interstellar escapism" in order to explore entertainment's role in periods of social change: "the desire to escape into it, and the desire to create it". This is influenced by current politics in the United States, as well as consumerism, religion and technology, with the "forgetful, distractible oddballs" narrating the album frequently becoming distracted from its social commentary. The album's multiple narrators are unreliable, "sometimes barely [able to] string a sentence together" and were inspired by lounge music. Turner utilises multiple vocal tones to embody the album's different characters, with his wide vocal range incorporating both deep and falsetto singing styles. The album's lyrical voice has been described as "absurdist suave", in oppose to the "witty sleaze" of Turner's previous work, and has been compared to Spanish short-story writer Jorge Luis Borges. The dense and self-aware lyrics have described as "endlessly quotable", written in a rambling, stream-of-conciousness style. Turner cited various films as influencing the album's lyrics, including Spirits of the Dead, World on a Wire and the works of Jean-Pierre Melville. Furthermore the ideas present within the books Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman and Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace inspired Turner's philosophical exploration of the modern human condition.
Turner commented that he took a different approach to writing lyrics than on previous albums, noting that he "became less concerned on this album [with] compartmentalising every idea to the point where each song became this episode that starts and ends in three minutes", with Leonard Cohen inspiring a different perspective on each lyric's relationship with its context. He further noted that his writing on the album was "blunt", in a way he considered similar to the band's debut Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. On the connections between the two albums, Turner commented that "it's set in a completely different place, obviously, but there's something in the lyrics that reminds me of something in that writing. I'm tempted to say that it's something to do with how blunt it is. I think that was something I was trying to get away from, and perhaps I've returned to it now".
Songs
"Star Treatment", the album's opening track, begins with a reference to American indie rock band the Strokes' influence on the band's early work. On their influence, Turner commented: "The arrival of the Strokes changed what music I was listening to, what shoes I was wearing. I grew my hair out and borrowed my mum's blazer. I was a huge fan". Its chorus describes a fictional band named "the Martini Police". The track's narrator expresses surprise that an acquaintance has never seen the science fiction film Blade Runner. Turner has stated that this was based on real-life interactions, noting his interest in the fact that "it goes beyond: 'What do you mean you've never seen Blade Runner?' and gets to: 'Oh my God, I envy you!'". Musically, the track's glam influences have been likened to "David Bowie descending on a lunar wedding". It incorporates piano, scattered drums and wood block accents, with Turner's "debonaire" vocal delivery being compared to rapping, as well American dancer Fred Astaire.
"One Point Perspective" is built around a "sweet" and "plucky" percussive piano figure which has been compared to "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, containing lavish strings and a simple hip-hop beat. Lyrically the track explores social media, with its cynical narrator mocking the ennui of rock-stars, and joking "I'm gonna run for government. I'm gonna form a covers band an' all". The "dandy" narrator has been compared to Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker. The song was inspired by conversations Turner experienced whilst under the influence of narcotics, with its title referring to a cinematic technique often employed by directors Stanley Kubrick and Wes Anderson, which Turner described as "unsettling". Turner has noted that the track's jazz elements were influenced by his father, commenting that "the sort of jazzy bit of that, that every time it comes around, when I sit there, it feels like something he would play".
On "American Sports", the album explores a darker musical direction, featuring "spooky", heavily affected keyboards. Turner's vocals have been described as both "sinister" and "dreamy", with the lyric "the trainer's explanation was accepted by the steward" being suggested by his grandfather, in reference to horse racing. The album's titular track mocks the sterility of contemporary society, with Turner sarcastically singing "technological advances really bloody get me in the mood". The track also contains political references, on which Turner has commented that "more of those ideas have certainly found a way into this record than anything I've done before". Musically the track features "skittish" jazz drum patterns, as well as harpsichords, performed by Turner and co-producer James Ford. "Golden Trunks" has been described as "unsettling", and contains a "raw and brooding" guitar riff that has been compared to the album's predecessor AM. Turner's falsetto vocals display "rakish charm", with the song depicting a blunt conversation between Turner and a potential romantic interest. The line "the leader of the free world reminds you of a wrestler wearing tight golden trunks" has caused attention, with many believing the lyrics to be in reference to current president of the United States Donald Trump.
"Four Out of Five" has been described as a "Bowie-ish glam song", as well as being likened to the band's Suck It and See and Everything You've Come to Expect by Turner's side-project the Last Shadow Puppets. It has been labelled as the album's only "singalong anthem", and describes an acclaimed taqueria on the moon named the "Information-Action Ratio", in reference to Neil Postman's concept, exploring gentrification. The taqueria's name was a coincidental result of Matt Helders' backing vocals, with Turner commenting that "phonetically it's quite alluring". Turner's vocal phrasing on the track incorporates elements of hip hop. On "The World's First Ever Monster Truck Front Flip", Turner vocally alternates from a "Bowie-style drawl to the falsetto and to a gruff murmur", with its heavy use of reverb and minimal bass guitar and percussion being compared to Pet Sounds. The track was inspired by a real news story Turner read, which reminded him of the film All the President's Men.
"Science Fiction" is driven by a "slinky" riff, and has been compared stylistically to Humbug. The track's title is one of many references to science fiction on the album, however Turner confessed that his reading of the genre was limited. "She Looks Like Fun" has been described as a "'60s-style novelty track" lyrically similar to the works of Morrissey. It was inspired by the episode "Selfie" from American television series High Maintenance, with the "constant updating and refreshing" depicted in the episode influencing Turner's exploration of technology. "Batphone" has also been compared to Humbug and AM, musically featuring a "heavier thump". The track has been described as "comical" and "jaunty", specifically in the line "Have I told you all about the time I got sucked into a hole through a handheld device?". Turner explores a "capitalist ennui", singing "I launch my fragrance called Integrity. I sell the fact that I can't be bought". In writing the song, Turner was inspired by an event at an airport in which a stranger blew a raspberry, believing to be alone.
The album's "schmoozy" final track, "The Ultracheese" has been compared to pop standards "Que Sera, Sera", "New York, New York", "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and "Leavin' on Your Mind", featuring a "gorgeous" acoustic baritone guitar solo performed by Tom Rowley, and descending piano chords that "symbol a kind of final bow". Turner has commented that musically the song resembles his "default position", comparing it to previous tracks "Cornerstone" and "The Dream Synopsis". The track was recorded in a live take with a large ensemble, including electric, baritone and pedal steel guitars, two drum kits, a bass guitar, a Wurlitzer, and two pianos. Turner referred to the song as the group's most successful implementation of this recording style.
Artwork and title
The album's artwork was designed by Alex Turner using cardboard cut-outs and a Revox A77 tape machine, itself containing early demos of the album. On the artwork, Turner stated that "In the past I've definitely had record covers that don't, to me, represent what's on the wax, and I certainly don't feel that way about this one. By the end of it, I think I'd forgotten there even was a record. I'd just gotten obsessed with cardboard." Turner began by drawing a hexagon, to reflect the band's sixth studio album, eventually drawing influence from architects Eero Saarinen and John Lautner, becoming "quite consumed" by the process. The artwork was initially inspired by a photograph depicting a member of the art department for 2001: A Space Odyssey building the set for a Hilton Hotel on the moon. Turner began imagining the lobby of the album's titular hotel, picturing a model of the hotel within its lobby. He was further inspired by the rotating sign of Los Angeles food chain House of Pies, an element which he incorporated into the artwork.
The album's title is in reference to Tranquility Base, the first site on the moon to be walked by humans. Turner was inspired by the conspiracy theory that Stanley Kubrick faked the first moon landing, initially naming the spare room in which he wrote and recorded the album's demos "Lunar Surface". He stated that naming the room was "instrumental" in the conception of the album's title, alongside a series of Apollo-branded cups owned by Turner which depict an eagle with the caption "Tranquility Base".
Release and promotion
In September 2017, bassist Nick O'Malley announced that the band had begun recording a follow-up to 2013's AM, stating that if the album was not released in 2018 they've "got problems". The release of Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino was first announced on 5 April 2018, through a short video directed by Ben Chappell. The video depicted the spinning model featured in the album's artwork, and included snippets of "Four Out of Five". No singles were released before the album, although multiple songs were debuted prior to the album's release in the first leg of the Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Tour. The band announced promotional pop-up shops on the weekend of the album's release, in their native Sheffield, New York, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, and Sydney. The Sydney pop-up venue also included a mini film festival curated by the band.
On the night of the album's release, the band appeared on late-night talk show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, performing "Four Out of Five". Two days later, the song was issued as the album's lead single, alongside an accompanying music video directed by Ben Chappell and Aaron Brown. The single debuted at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. The next week, the group performed "She Looks Like Fun" on The Late Late Show with James Corden. On 6 June, they performed live at BBC's Maida Vale Studios, with their performance being broadcast four days later as a Live at the BBC special. Their setlist primarily consisted of songs from the album, as well as earlier singles.
Tour
In January 2018, the band announced an extensive tour of North America and Europe to begin in May. The tour consists of 32 shows in North America and 41 in Europe, concluding in October at the Voodoo Experience. The songs "American Sports", "Four Out of Five", "One Point Perspective" and "She Looks Like Fun" were debuted live in San Diego on 2 May. This was the tour's opening performance, and the band's first performance in four years.
For the tour, the band were joined by longtime touring members Tom Rowley and Davey Latter, as well as album contributors Tyler Parkford and Cam Avery, the latter of whom also acted as an opening act, departing after the tour's second leg. The band adapted their live show to better fit the stylistic differences of the album's material, with the new shows being described as "sophisticated". Turner's presence was also noted to be more "playful" than on the band's previous AM Tour, with the decreased usage of the guitar allowing him more movement on stage.
Critical reception
Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino has received generally positive reviews from music critics, despite polarising listeners. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 74, based on 31 reviews.
Thomas Smith of NME noted that the album was likely to be "divisive", describing it as "the band's most intriguing record to date". He promised the album would "reward deep-diving listeners", concluding that "depending on where you're sitting, this album will likely either be a bitter disappointment or a glorious step forward". Cosette Schulz for Exclaim! agreed that the album benefitted from multiple listens, writing that it "feels like poetic social and fantasy-world commentary penned by Turner, who then fancied having a go at the piano and then brought the whole band in for good measure." For Q, Niall Doherty described it as "a strange, wonderful album, one that almost feels like Arctic Monkeys have embarked on their own full-band side-project". Roisin O'Connor of The Independent described the album as "creative, intriguing and completely different". Spin's Larry Fitzmaurice described the album as the group's "strangest and most alluring", writing that a "sense of heading into the unknown - of charting new and strange artistic territory, accessibility be damned - pervades Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino as a whole, its own adventurousness proving a successful gambit". A review in Uncut praised the album as "low-key but engrossing", but noted that "it can be a little one-paced, and a little withholding".
For The Guardian, Alexis Petridis praised the album's humour, but criticised its occasional smugness, noting that "a smart guy is sometimes all Turner seems to be", with the album's tracks "feel[ing] like less than the sum of their parts". He concluded that "at turns thrilling, smug, clever and oddly cold, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is only a qualified success" and is "evidence - albeit flawed - of a certain musical restlessness". AllMusic writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that "the expansive aural horizons of Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino suggest there are plenty of avenues for Turner to steer Arctic Monkeys into a fruitful middle age", describing it as "an accomplished, slyly snappy, and admirable affair". However, he noted that a lack of memorable songs was the album's weakness, stating that "at a glance, it's impressive, but the slipshod details reveal themselves upon close inspection". Similarly, Annie Zaleski of The A.V. Club noted that the album's lack of "obvious hooks" was its key flaw, resulting in it feeling "unmoored and even plodding". In a mixed review for Rolling Stone, Jon Dolan praised the album's ambition but wrote that "the meandering LP can't bear the weight of the man at the piano's indulgences", concluding that the band "tried a stylistic change up that doesn't quite work" and that "sometimes restless artistry has a price".
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, with combined sales of 86,000 copies, becoming the group's sixth consecutive album to debut at number one in the UK. In addition, with 24,500 vinyl copies sold in the first week, the album became the UK's fastest selling vinyl record in 25 years. A week following its release, the album was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry, receiving gold cerfication on June 1. The album also debuted at number one in Australia, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Scotland and Switzerland, as well as reaching number two in Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and Norway, and the top ten in Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Finland, Sweden and Poland. In the United States, the album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 47,000 units, of which 37,000 were in traditional album sales.
Track listing
All tracks written by Alex Turner.
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.
Charts
Certifications
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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