Submarine

Submarine is the debut solo EP by English musician and Arctic Monkeys lead vocalist Alex Turner, released on 14 March 2011 by Domino Recording Company. It was written by Turner in 2009, on an acoustic guitar, at his New York City home. It was produced in London by frequent collaborator James Ford, alongside guest musician Bill Ryder-Jones, and string arranger Owen Pallett. The EP consists of six original songs that act as the soundtrack of Richard Ayoade's debut feature film, Submarine (2010), based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne. The artwork is a resized version of the film's poster, which depicts lead actor Craig Roberts. Submarine is a departure from Turner's previous guitar-heavy work, with the Arctic Monkeys, and more in line with the baroque-oriented sound found in The Age of the Understatement (2008). It features a Indie folk sound, drawing influences from baroque pop and psychedelic pop. Instrumentally, it incorporates acoustic guitar, drums, organ, and piano, featuring strings in one track. Its lyrical content matches the melancholic tone of the film, exploring romance, loneliness, and depression. Despite its stylistic deviation from Turner's previous oeuvre, Submarine was released to generally positive reviews. It peaked at 35 in the UK Albums Chart while also charting in France and Ireland. Following its release the record appeared on The Timess 2014 list of 100 Soundtracks to Love. Retrospectively, Submarine is considered a stepping stone in Turner's continued musical experimentation, leading to one of its tracks, "Piledriver Waltz", being re-recorded by Turner's band Arctic Monkeys, for their fourth album Suck It and See. The soundtrack has been described as being the most discussed feature of its accompanying film, contributing to its lasting popularity. Background and recording Turner's previous record as part of Arctic Monkeys' Humbug was released in August 2009 to positive reviews from critics, that noted the album's tone was darker, compared to the band's previous work. Following the release of Humbug, film director and friend Richard Ayoade was directing a film adaptation of Joe Dunthorne's novel, Submarine. Ayoade thought of Turner for the film's soundtrack, with the only concern of seeming "imposing" by asking him to do "a load of work." Turner said that making music for a film was something he felt was not "qualified to do" but that this was "an exception" due to his friendship with Ayoade.