Humbug
The Englishmen descend on California with a smokier, dusky sound on *Humbug*—a clear influence of co-producer Josh Homme. The band’s usual sharp, spiky guitar riffs turn woozy and sludgy, as if melted by the sun, while beats plod heavily and keyboards squirm underneath the fuzzy rock of \"Crying Lightning\" and on \"Potion Approaching,\" in which Alex Turner transforms from his cool crooner self to a desert-traipsing Jim Morrison. Elsewhere, James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco preserves the band\'s crisper, dancier inclinations with psychedelic nugget \"Secret Door.\"
The Arctics expand their sound with the help of producer Josh Homme (QOTSA) on this, their relatively relaxed, confident third album.
Three albums in, Arctic Monkeys are making no special effort to surprise. “Crying Lightning,” the first single from the new Humbug, is a bouncy, sexy, more-than-a-little-menacing rocker that documents how two lovers sniff around each other on a rainy afternoon. Like Arctic Monkeys’ first big international hit, “I Bet…
A challenging third album from the Arctic Monkeys' to separate the casual fans from the die-hard followers. Read the NME review of Humbug.
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Anyone who has paid close attention to the utterances and activities of Alex Turner over the past couple of years won’t be taken aback by Humbug.
For album number three it’s goodbye Sheffield and hello California. But has the arid desert dried up the Monkeys’ provincial charm? Clash finds out... - - -
<p>Something a bit crunchier that's been boiled up with producer Josh Homme in the Mojave Desert</p>
It’s hard to believe that the Arctic Monkeys are less than a decade old. or that their first album came out just over three years ago
<p>Arctic Monkeys have got a brave new California sound. Thankfully, they've kept their homegrown sense of humour</p>
Is it just me, or are the Arctic Monkeys the most problematic band despite their consistently good albums?
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug review: Josh Homme takes Turner and company to the Gadda Da Vida.