Every Arctic Monkeys Single Ranked Worst To Best
18. Matador
Side A of a 7” single with Da Frame 2R, Matador is the insane bridging point between where the band were on Favourite Worst Nightmare and Humbug. Initially the song was only released as a bonus track on the Japanese pressing of Favourite Worst Nightmare but people liked it so much that the band wanted to release it as a single so British fans wouldn’t get ripped off buying foreign copies.
Timing in at five minutes, the lyrics don’t arrive until well over half way and don’t stay for long, Matador is all about entering the dark side. Arctic Monkeys are now known for writing music that makes you feel like a badass, but this was one of their first tracks to seriously bring you in tune with your dark side. The transitions are excellent, the beat is great, and it tells a story mostly without words.
What Matador lacks in chorus it makes up for in energy and technicality.