Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
Rating
RIYL
The CribsQueens of the Stone Age
The Futureheads
Bloc Party
Release Date
08/25/2009
Label
DominoTracklist
1. My Propeller2. Crying Lightning
3. Dangerous Animals
4. Secret Door
5. Potion Approaching
6. Fire and the Thud
7. Cornerstone
8. Dance Little Liar
9. Pretty Visitors
10. The Jeweller’s Hands
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Arctic Monkeys took advantage of the digital age quickly and effectively in their career. Coming out of Sheffield, England, the band created a monstrous amount of internet buzz that eventually led to record-breaking sales of their debut album. They defied odds to prove success wasn’t fleeting with their second record. It wasn’t too far removed from the debut and displayed the group’s ample songwriting chops. However with their latest, it is immediately evident that we aren’t dealing with the same band that came onto the scene being hailed as the ‘next big thing’. Working with Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme, the band shows that they aren’t afraid to explore previously uncharted territory. The result is a moodier and more enticing listen.
This time around Arctic Monkeys are embracing minor keys and menacingly dark melodies to paint a strikingly different portrait than their audience would expect. The foreboding opener “My Propeller” lumbers around in the lower register showcasing this new direction. It may be a strange fit but it works. Homme’s influence can be heard scattered throughout the album, especially in some of the guitar tones on songs such as “Crying Lightning” and “Potion Approaching”. The former contains a solo that could have been ripped right out of a QOTSA song. “Potion Approaching” takes things a slightly different route with punchy guitar lines and brash rhythms.
Vocalist Alex Turner has evolved into one of the more fascinating songwriters of the past decade. Now that he is older and more experienced, the songs better reflect the strong emotions they are trying to convey. Nowhere is there more evidence of this maturation than the bittersweet ballad “Cornerstone” where he humbly confesses, “She was close, close enough to be your ghost / But my chances turned to toast when I asked her if I could call her your name." This compelling tale of being unable to cope with a girl who is nothing but a fading memory shows how strong his songwriting can be when all the elements congeal smoothly. “Dance Little Liar” follows with Turner somberly singing over Matt Helders’ frenzied drumming and Jamie Cook’s jagged guitar riffs
The darker atmosphere of the record certainly reflects the desert where most of the tracks were produced. Turner complements this by keeping his sarcastic humor firmly intact with lines such as, “What came first, the chicken or the dickhead?” from “Pretty Visitors”. The latter half finishes with “The Jeweller’s Hands”, one of the more dynamic songs in the set which exhibits a band that isn’t afraid to challenge the structure and progression of a song. The strength of this album lies with the fact that the band does not pander towards a certain group of listeners. There is something here for everyone; even those weren’t impressed by their initial output and subsequent hype. Going strong through three albums, Arctic Monkeys know how to keep things interesting and hint that their best material may still be ahead of them.
--Dave Spak
Comments
Sunshine Coast, Australia
good review Dave, but to be this album deserves nothing less than 4/5.
"If you want something done right, get a fucking Australian band to do it" - Chris Cheney
Somewhere in New York
Agreed! This album is fantastic. I wasn't a big fan when I first listened to it, but I prefer it so much more than their other releases, and I don't even slightly dislike those. I'm just stoked to be seeing them play this stuff in December.
"If someone gives you a kazoo and toots around the house to MTV, they're not gonna fuck you." - David Cross
Baltimore, MD
Favourite Worst Nightmare was my favorite...Didn't dislike this album after listening to it, but certainly wasn't sold into it
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