With their first album in four years set to release October 21, Arctic Monkeys are teasing their comeback with another single, the mesmerizing, symphonic “Body Paint,” which follows their previous single, “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball.” The new album, The Car, builds off the threading, conceptual instrumental performances established on 2018’s Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino while offering glimpses of the band’s steadfast, textbook rock-and-roll riffs.
“Body Paint” finds frontman Alex Turner exploring the open spaces of his own vocal range, opting for a lush falsetto mixed with a tenor croon draped in orchestral strings. Unlike the jazz lounge pianos that defined “Mirrorball,” “Body Paint” is anthemic and stadium-esque, as its slow-burn melodies transform suddenly into gigantic, pulsing guitars.
The band is currently wrapping up a short run of North American dates and will perform “Body Paint” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tonight, September 29. The band plans to embark on a European tour next summer with The Hives and The Mysterines in support of The Car.
Watch the video for “Body Paint” below.
