Why Arctic Monkeys chose a lonely Toyota Camry for their seventh studio album cover
In short: When Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders captured a white Toyota Camry in an empty Los Angeles parking garage, he was simply testing a vintage lens. Lead singer Alex Turner became fixated on the image, eventually using it to anchor the band's seventh studio album, a cinematic exploration of show business.
Released in October 2022, The Car marked a significant departure for the Arctic Monkeys, ending their streak of six consecutive number-one albums in the UK. While the record debuted at number two—held back by Taylor Swift's Midnights—it achieved critical acclaim for its ambitious genre-blending, incorporating elements of orchestral rock, funk, jazz, and traditional pop. Unlike their previous concept album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, this record functions as a collection of songs exploring themes of nostalgia, fame, and the tension between artistic authenticity and commercial expectation.
The album's production was a deliberate return to a more focused, isolated environment. The band recorded at Butley Priory, a remote monastery in Suffolk, using the historic Stones Mobile Studio unit. This setting, free from city distractions, allowed the band to lean into a cinematic soundscape. Alex Turner, who wrote much of the material on piano and acoustic guitar in Los Angeles and Paris, described the sessions as having a specific focus, capturing the band's creative process on 16mm film throughout the recording.
Critical reception was largely positive, with many reviewers praising the band's artistic progression and the album's lush, theatrical production. Comparisons were drawn to artists like David Bowie, Scott Walker, and Burt Bacharach, as well as the atmosphere of classic film soundtracks. While some critics found the lyrics opaque or the shift away from the band's early indie rock sound polarizing, the album earned nominations for the Mercury Prize and multiple Grammy Awards, cementing its place as a significant, if unconventional, entry in the band's discography.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Car (album)
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