Alex Turner’s Submarine EP has hit the net, and I couldn’t be happier to finally hear what he has come up with on his own. I’ve already pre-ordered it on Vinyl from Domino, and I hope that you have done the same. I’m about to take my first listen, and I invite you to join my thoughts/first impressions on my first listen.
Here we go:
1. Stuck On The Puzzle (Intro) – A truly delightful little opening. Turner’s voice sounds gentler and soothing as ever. It’s less than a minute long, but it sets the tone just right. 8:13 p.m.
2. Hiding Tonight – If you liked songs like “The Bakery” from Arctic Monkeys, song like this are going to make you swoon. This would be a perfect song to slow dance to with your significant other, under the stars. After all, Submarine is all about young romance. The last 30 seconds are classic Turner in the making. Lovely stuff. 8:17 p.m.
3. Glass In The Park – Turner’s got the star gazing vocals down to pact her. Girls must be falling harder and harder for the guy. The light acoustic guitar strumming creates a dreamy glazey sound that’s truly easy on the ears. More great lyrics from Turner. He’s still got it. 8:20 p.m.
4. It’s Hard To Get Around The Wind – Vivid storytelling from the mind of Turner. There are some really pretty vocal parts from Turner. I love the part right after he mentions keeping pepper in the pill. This is perfect example of what makes Turner so special. He arranges great lyrics creating a solid vignette in your mind. If there had to be a song for a journey to heaven, this wouldn’t be a bad pick. 8:25
5. Stuck On The Puzzle – Wow the combination of the drums and the keys really add something. This one starts of magically and finishes beautifully. This may be the standout of the EP. It sounds like James Ford helped him out a bit on this one. Hate to sound like a puzzle, but the lyrics are once again the true champion. Turner has developed so much over the years. No one can deny that after listening to this. 8:29 p.m.
6. Piledriver Waltz – What a melody. This one probably sounds the closest to something that would be tagged with Arctic Monkeys name. Very catchy with a simple but effective bassline. Turner sounds confident and it’s effective. This one gives “Stuck On The Puzzle” a good run for it’s money. What a way to finish the EP. 8:32 p.m.
Anyone who worried that Turner lost his lyrical touch on “Brick By Brick” really needs to listen to this EP. He hasn’t lost a step folks. It was nice to hear him dive into the acoustic singer-songwriting form here. We’ve always known he could do it, but this is our first full fledged taste. This is an incredibly strong EP that will not only please Arctic Monkeys as well as many others. Not many people have heard Turner in this light, and I think people will gain a lot of respect for him after a listen to the Submarine EP.
I couldn’t be happier with the EP. Turner keeps proving to me that he is one of the best songwriters of our generation. You better believe it too.
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