Today, I wanted to do something a little different and examine one of my current favorite albums.
You may know Alex Turner as the lead singer for the Arctic Monkeys, the English indie band slash post-punk powerhouse. In March of 2011, Alex Turner released his first and only solo work, a little six-song EP soundtrack to the movie “Submarine.” Sadly, I didn’t discover this gem until October of this year. And when I did, I became fully and utterly obsessed. You would expect that Alex Turner sans the Monkeys would feel unnatural. But it is actually a genuine treat. In these six songs, Turner puts his electric guitar aside and trades the punk power of “Fluorescent Adolescent” and “Do I Wanna Know?” for refined, lilting, minimalistic ballads. Equal parts clever and reflective, Turner creates a tender portrayal of the uncertainty of growing up and figuring things out as we go. He humbly and effortlessly boasts incredible songwriting, and his unique lyrics speak right to the heart:
“You look like you’ve been for breakfast at the heartbreak hotelAnd sat in the back booth by the pamphlets and the literature on how to lose,
Your waitress was miserable and so was your food
If you’re gonna try and walk on water
Make sure you wear your comfortable shoes. – “Piledriver Waltz”, Track 6 Do yourself and your ears a grand favor, and listen to Submarine right here: ALEX TURNER – SUBMARINE. See you later this week with a brand new mix playlist! Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @heyheresasong and now on instagram! @playlistsforthepeople. -Emily
