TEST SPINS | Arctic Monkeys: ‘AM’

There’s something about the Arctic Monkeys’ music that absolutely screams October to me. Maybe it’s a murky combination of factors, maybe it’s just the vibe, but it’s something I haven’t ever been able to completely put my finger on, yet have always felt. No Arctic Monkeys record gives me this feeling more than AM (2013). This week, I decided to dive back into the album to pinpoint why it is that the Arctic Monkeys are just so October. Kicking off the album is “Do I Wanna Know?” with that iconic, instantly-recognizable opening riff. “Do I Wanna Know?” was the second single off AM and sees lead singer Alex Turner obsessively analyzing his relationship with the masterful lyricism he’s known for: “Been wonderin’ if your heart’s still open / And if so, I wanna know what time it shuts / Simmer down and pucker up, I’m sorry to interrupt / It’s just I’m constantly on the cusp of tryin’ to kiss you” he confesses.