Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
It’s clear from Humbug’s moody, languid opening track, "My Propeller", that the Arctic Monkeys have changed musical tack for album number three. Following the frenetic nature of Whatever People Say I Am… and Favourite Worst Nightmare, this change of direction was perhaps inevitable, but the band seem to have gone all out to trade in the urgent pop-punk riffs of yesteryear for a series of slower, murkier atmospheres conjured up by Queens of the Stone Age producer Josh Homme and James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco). The thumping, insistent drums, Doors-esque organ sounds and twanging, curling guitars create a Gothic/fairground sound that combines well with Turner’s northern brogue and cheeky (and sometimes absurd) lyricism, especially on catchy tracks like first single "Crying Lightning" and "Dangerous Animals". Punchier cuts like "Potion Approaching" and the "Pretty Visitors" revert back to the band’s previous style, but the rolling "Secret Door" and "Cornerstone" have more in common with Turner’s Last Shadow Puppets project. At just 39 minutes, Humbug’s economy of style is matched to the general feeling of restraint and distinctive pop ethic to create a perfect new sound for Sheffield’s most famous maturing Monkeys. --Danny McKenna
Product Description
CD Mini Gate-Fold Digipack Version
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By Richard Hine
Format:Audio CD
The UK music press has created and destroyed so many bands over the years, that it's always best to take a "don't-believe-the-hype" approach.
But three albums into their career, here's what we know:
1. Arctic Monkeys are the best British band of the new millennium. (Sorry Franz Ferdinand, Editors, Kasabian, Kaiser Chiefs, etc.).
2. Alex Turner has the wit, intelligence, and vocal chops to be ranked among the best British singer-songwriters of the past 40 years - he's up there with the likes of Ray Davies, Pete Townsend, Paul Weller, Morrissey and Jarvis Cocker.
3. "Humbug" is a major step in the band's musical evolution-Sheffield post-punk blended with the stated influences of Cream and Jimi Hendrix and produced by Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and James Ford (Simian/Alex Turner's side project The Last Shadow Puppets).
The Monkeys delivered on the hype with their brilliant debut album "Whatever People Say I Am, That Is What I'm Not." They followed up with the excellent "Favourite Worst Nightmare." Now they've delivered possibly their best yet: a hard-boiled sweet called "Humbug." Along with a new maturity, there's a familiar lyrical cheekiness, too, especially on tracks like My Propeller ("I can't get it started on my own") and Crying Lightning ("My thoughts got rude as you talked and chewed/On the last of your pick'n'mix"). "Pretty Visitors" is the track most like the Monkeys of old. And standout "Cornerstone" is a song of lost love and mistaken identities reminiscent of The Who's "Disguises."
Clearly, the cheeky Monkeys have evolved into grown up rockers.
Bring on the backlash.
But three albums into their career, here's what we know:
1. Arctic Monkeys are the best British band of the new millennium. (Sorry Franz Ferdinand, Editors, Kasabian, Kaiser Chiefs, etc.).
2. Alex Turner has the wit, intelligence, and vocal chops to be ranked among the best British singer-songwriters of the past 40 years - he's up there with the likes of Ray Davies, Pete Townsend, Paul Weller, Morrissey and Jarvis Cocker.
3. "Humbug" is a major step in the band's musical evolution-Sheffield post-punk blended with the stated influences of Cream and Jimi Hendrix and produced by Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and James Ford (Simian/Alex Turner's side project The Last Shadow Puppets).
The Monkeys delivered on the hype with their brilliant debut album "Whatever People Say I Am, That Is What I'm Not." They followed up with the excellent "Favourite Worst Nightmare." Now they've delivered possibly their best yet: a hard-boiled sweet called "Humbug." Along with a new maturity, there's a familiar lyrical cheekiness, too, especially on tracks like My Propeller ("I can't get it started on my own") and Crying Lightning ("My thoughts got rude as you talked and chewed/On the last of your pick'n'mix"). "Pretty Visitors" is the track most like the Monkeys of old. And standout "Cornerstone" is a song of lost love and mistaken identities reminiscent of The Who's "Disguises."
Clearly, the cheeky Monkeys have evolved into grown up rockers.
Bring on the backlash.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This time around the Monkeys have decided not to try and make `What Ever People Say I am...' again. That was an album that a band gets to make once and it should be left at that. The decision then to work with Josh Homme and James Ford was a very good idea. From the start you can see the results. `My Propeller' is dark and moody with subtle menace. First single `Crying Lightning' is then a plodding and intriguing track that grows into spitting venomous chorus. Yet through that Turner's pop sensibilities hold it up as something really good. Ironically the thing actually now feels like a dream or a nightmare with tracks like `Dangerous Animals', `Secret Door', `Fire and the Thud' and `Dance Little Liar'.
Ultimately everybody's influence on it is carefully balanced to create a coherent and original whole. It will be interesting to see what they do with the tracks live, but for now this is solid and promising from one of Britain's brightest hopes.
Ultimately everybody's influence on it is carefully balanced to create a coherent and original whole. It will be interesting to see what they do with the tracks live, but for now this is solid and promising from one of Britain's brightest hopes.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By M. Stevens
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
This has split opinion! I know I should love it, as everyone appears to love what the Monkeys do, but after loving the raw power and sheer fun of "Whatever People Say I Am.....", I was disappointed with "Favourite Worst Nightmare", and this latest offering is moving further down the "serious" path, to limited success. It does not help that the poorest track on the album is the opener (again my opinion) but a fact that reading through the reviews here is generally agreed.
The involvement of Josh Homme, also seems to have received mixed views; I believe you can hear his influence in much of the dark, almost sultry music here - parallels can certainly be drawn with more recent QOTSA offerings (which I have struggled to listen to). Don't buy it expecting the "Dancefloor" indie pop of the first album.
Lyrically there are still some gems on here (as one would expect with the Monkeys) but none that instantly grab - they take repeated listens; I just don't feel I can either slate it (as it may grow) or rave madly about it (it may sit on the shelf if the next few listens do not grab my attention more). After all, it has not been out a week yet, and who remembers the phrase "slow burner" when applied to music? We do tend to live in an age of "tracks" (as opposed to albums), and if the impact is not immediate, bin it, or should I say delete it.
I will give it a while then, but in the meantime will remain firmly on the top of my fence!
The involvement of Josh Homme, also seems to have received mixed views; I believe you can hear his influence in much of the dark, almost sultry music here - parallels can certainly be drawn with more recent QOTSA offerings (which I have struggled to listen to). Don't buy it expecting the "Dancefloor" indie pop of the first album.
Lyrically there are still some gems on here (as one would expect with the Monkeys) but none that instantly grab - they take repeated listens; I just don't feel I can either slate it (as it may grow) or rave madly about it (it may sit on the shelf if the next few listens do not grab my attention more). After all, it has not been out a week yet, and who remembers the phrase "slow burner" when applied to music? We do tend to live in an age of "tracks" (as opposed to albums), and if the impact is not immediate, bin it, or should I say delete it.
I will give it a while then, but in the meantime will remain firmly on the top of my fence!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 52 reviews
3.9 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Great product, but the delivery was terrible.
I love this band and the record is great, but the delivery was really terrible. It costed me 2 times the price of the album in taxes, because Amazon sent it by UPS instead of... Read more
Published 11 days ago by Lara Mendonça
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Arctic Monkeys album
I particularly love this album.
Best tracks, in my opinion:
Dance Litte Liar
Crying Lightning
Cornerstone
My Propeller
Pretty Visitors
Best tracks, in my opinion:
Dance Litte Liar
Crying Lightning
Cornerstone
My Propeller
Pretty Visitors
Published 2 months ago by Victor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous
Bought for a friend's 18th as we knew she was getting a record player, her favorite album so she loved it. Arrived very very quickly and was packaged smartly
Published 4 months ago by grace
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Album
As always another great album by the Arctic Monkeys. It was a christmas present and I loved it alot. Great
Published 4 months ago by Slloyd
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
I couldn't tell that this was a used item which was great! It came pretty quickly too. Bonus! There's nothing more I can say but Amazon insist I ramble on a bit more.
Published 8 months ago by Gaby
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfection
If you're yet to be convinced that this album is not their best, you can trust me, as I was once one of you. Read more
Published 14 months ago by arcticmonkeys...
5.0 out of 5 stars
Under-rated
This album is completely under-rated and has been very unfairly criticised. It may take a couple more plays than the previous two did before the songs stand out, but once they do... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Stu62
1.0 out of 5 stars
Humbug
I can't resist putting the word "bah" first. This album is absolute rubbish, never getting out of first gear and the only reason it got a star from me is because I couldn't leave... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Lolboy
5.0 out of 5 stars
3rd time "lucky"
Forgive the title, there was clearly no luck involved with the creation and delivery of this album. Pure talent, plain and simple. Read more
Published 18 months ago by S. Frampton
2.0 out of 5 stars
Tuneless drone
Yeesh. Why is there such a poor pattern with British bands? As always, make two good albums and then lose the plot. Read more
Published 19 months ago by CTM
Customer Discussions
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
