Arctic Monkeys : 'Humbug'
Released: 24th August 2009
Label: Domino Records
Humans are fickle creatures. Their thoughts and opinions alter drastically, like the flick of a light switch. Cue my initial opinion of Arctic Monkeys new album, Humbug, for example. I knew there was an almost certain possibility that the Sheffield quartet’s infectious sound would grow on me (just like Favourite Worst Nightmare) but I thought it would be interesting to record my first response before it became diluted by their pure genius.
Hence the rather now disturbing comments I recorded on my blog. Phrases such as “mixed emotions”, “thoughts all over the place” and “the death of Arctic Monkeys as we knew them”. You see, that’s exactly what Humbug does to you on first listen. Confusion reigns; a heavy heart is dealt. Is it a good album? Has my self-confessed love for the Monkeys finally died?
Humbug is such an ample name that for all the ridicule on announcement it now makes complete, perfect sense. Just like the sweet, its something that that you need to “suck” and persist with, such is the difficulty to get your head around this new direction.
As with previous Arctic Monkeys albums, Humbug contains a track that hits you with such gusto you think “wow”. I am not afraid to admit, it nearly replicated the moment that I first heard Brianstorm in 2007, where I was crawling around my bedroom for a good 20 minutes trying to retrieve my head, such was the force that blew it off. Beginning with a eerie, organ sound, Pretty Visitors crashes into full-flow, with Turner rapping with the pace and intricacy reminiscent of the vocal part in Matador. Intense, fast-paced and full-flowing, the song is sure to cause absolute carnage in their live set, with the signature lyric, “What came first, the Chicken or the Dickhead?”.
Other stand out tracks include the bouncy Dangerous Animals, the dark, heavy Crying Lightning, and the pure filth that is the highly sexual My Propeller. Slower, more melodic beauties like Secret Door and Cornerstone provide a more relaxed and chilled out aspect to the LP.
The so-called “Humbug” tracks that take quite a bit of getting used to are Fire and the Thud, Dance Little Liar and The Jewellers Hands. The former is slow to get into, providing a dark, intrusive view into Turners thoughts, before escalating into riff-heavy guitar backed by a guest appearance from Josh Homme. Dance Little Liar features Turners voice sounding rather Strokes-influenced on yet another dark, gloomy piece while the final track incorporates the Dr. Dre sounding hip-hop beat revealed by the band when making the album.
I often cast my thoughts back to the first time I heard Humbug, and the heavy-hearted, almost disappointed feeling that I felt. When recording my thoughts I said that they were a “recollection” rather than a review, so that when I would return raving about the album 3 weeks later I would still be able to give a fair, well-written account. I returned to rave about the album within seven hours, such is the infectiousness that it holds. Here’s a damn good Humbug, go suck on it.
8/10
Words by Alex Read
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Reply #1 on : Thu July 14, 2011, 17:01:25