What do we think of the first Arctic Monkeys single in four years?

Arctic Monkeys dropped their first piece of new material in four years this week with the release of “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball.” It’s the first single from The Car, an album due on October 21, a record made at Butley Priory, an old monastery in rural Suffolk.

Like so many of the band’s songs, it defies certain modern conventions. First, it’s a down-tempo track filled with heartbreak, a choice I find to be a surprising choice for a band that hasn’t released a new single in years.

Second, it comes with a very long intro. The vocals don’t start until 55 seconds have gone by, something unheard of in the era of streaming where short, punchy intros are de rigeur. You don’t want attention-deficit people hitting the “skip” button. There’s a portion of that intro that sounds like the band might veer into a James Bond theme.

Third, at four minutes and 30 seconds, it’s longer than most new songs being released today. In fact, there’s a years-long trend towards songs getting shorter.

Fourth, strings. Strings! A bold move when it comes to the arrangement.

Interesting move, Monkeys. Let’s see how this fares.