Humbug

by

Arctic Monkeys and Arctic Monkeys

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Into a new studio in the desert after 2 years, the AMs team with Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) in the producers chair to deliver another great album, possibly their best to date. The lyric style and subjects remain the same but the delivery and musical envelope have matured and expanded adding weight and a welcome breath of unpredictability. Judging by the quality of the song writing, the AMs could've easily tossed off another record like their debut or FWN, but instead they take more of a "been there done that" approach and explore other influences and moods to expand their sound. The result is unmistakably AMs, but indeed the Hommes' influence is heard and it works very well. The album is a fantastic grower that over time reveals judicious sonic layering, some of their strongest melodies, interesting and less typical beats, and overall more ambitious song execution. Simultaneously haunting and jubilant the AMs have hit their third album on the head; a challenge always more difficult after avoiding the sophomore slump, which of course they did with flying colors.

The clever thoughtful lyrics remain, but musically HUMBUG seems trapped. The title "The Fire and The Thud" sums up my feelings about the first 6 cuts. The sound in the first half of the CD repeats itself ad nauseum, bass and drums in a depressing combo that drags down everything else into the same muddled and unpleasant sound. When you finally get a break on songs like "Cornerstone" it`s a welcome respite from a very dismal sound. Finally the lighter and more musical touch of their previous work makes an appearance. While I think it's important for a band to continue to evolve, I much preferred the balanced approach of the first CD to this one. The last few cuts make this much more palatable, but I still find myself less than inclined to give HUMBUG the multiple plays that WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY got.