Arctic Monkeys
Humbug

Campus Correspondent Review By Laura Cebula,
Belmont University

As its third full-length album in only four years, Humbug (Domino Records) is Arctic Monkeys’ best effort so far. While not as successful by industry standards as 2006’s Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (the fastest-selling debut album in England’s history), Humbug is still as true to the Arctic Monkeys as its first two albums.

Alex Turner’s rich, haunting vocals beautifully open up the album on  “My Propeller,” as he sings about wanting a lover to arrive (and possibly alluding to a bit more with this double innuendo). His roughed voice is truly featured o the album’s softer songs, and there are a fair amount of those, such as “Secret Door.”

With its signature silly, sarcastic and pop-culture savvy lyrics, the English quartet has put out a very raw yet poetic album. “Crying Lightning” is sprinkled with candy references to gobstoppers and “[aggravating] the ice-cream man on rainy afternoons” and “Cornerstone” is like a drunken confession to an ex-girlfriend. Due to the plethora of English indie rock bands on the scene right now, Arctic Monkeys can easily be overlooked, but if given a listen, Humbug will stand out.

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