PICK OF THE WEEK: Arctic Monkeys - AM

WELL it’s finally here. It’s taken more than two years. It’s had more hype than anyone could have comprehended. It’s AM.

Arctic Monkeys’ fifth album was always going to draw attention and high expectations.

After Alex Turner announced that the band had taken their main influence from Dr Dre on the new record, everyone prayed they hadn’t gone rap-rock.

Thankfully those rumours were quickly quashed and the release of Do I Wanna Know provided enough evidence that the band’s new sound was going to be something big. And it is...

Turner and co have done something incredible on AM. Taking the lines between rock n roll, hip hop and blues and smashing them up with a guitar, they’ve created a whole new sound.

After a gorgeous opening to the album with singles Do I Wanna Know and R U Mine? – which takes a trip from a slow, hip hop beat into a raw, riff-heavy frenzy – the record really begins to soar.

Arabella makes you tap your foot uncontrollably with Helders’ backing vocals contributing to the lyrically brilliant dedication to the girl. The ballad that is No.1 Party Anthem is a swaying, love tale that matches and exceeds the tracks on Turner’s Submarine Soundtrack EP from 2011.

The beauty of AM truly lies with the band’s ability to switch between slick crooners to rough rockers within one note, making you question which is which. If there’s four minutes on the record that will make you sway, it will be Knee Socks. Featuring fellow rocking genius Josh Homme, the track is a perfectly crafted concoction of lyrical dynamite and deep bass.

Not only is AM Arctic Monkeys’ greatest album, it may be the greatest rock album of recent years...