AM: Alex Turner's lyrical mastery

I often groan when I hear songs on the radio with terrible, terrible lyrics. I slap my forehead dramatically when I hear Pitbull rhyming 'Kodak' with 'Kodak'. I furrow my eyebrows when Robin Thicke asks 'What rhymes with hug me?' (I hope he means Bill Crosby or rugby but somehow I doubt that). So, I am thrilled that the Arctic Monkeys are back with their new album AM because this means I can appreciate Alex Turner's lyrical genius once again.

Turner is notorious for his clever and witty songwriting skills. The fast pace lyrics in 'I bet you look good on the dance floor' recreate the tense and loud atmosphere of a nightclub. In 'Fluorescent Adolescent', the memorable opening lines ('You used to get it in your fishnets...') immediately draws you into the story Turner invented about a woman dealing with aging. The new album, which has debuted at number 1 in the UK, does not disappoint on the lyrical front. 'Why'd you only call me when you're high?' is the sarcastic third single depicting the aftermath of a night out and seeking the attention of an ex. The songwriter has spoken to the NME about the lyrical patterns in 'R U Mine?' being inspired by rappers like Lil Wayne and Drake. You cannot deny that Turner is a creative lyricist and enjoys experimenting with new patterns to portray a story in Arctic Monkey songs. 

Some people have asked if we can consider Alex Turner as a poet. A few years ago The Guardian brought out a supplement series called 'Great Lyricists of the 20th Century'. Alex Turner was one of the musicians honoured and I took the supplement on a car journey. I devoured the lyrics in this supplement, I loved finding the images within them and genuinely enjoyed the verses on page, so I agree with 'some people' to an extent. Turner certainly seems to promote poetry by putting John Cooper Clarke's 'I Wanna Be Yours' to music in AM. Turner is a musician who holds language and storytelling as a priority in his music, and I believe more popular artists should do the same.