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43 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yes indeed..., 3 Aug 2009
I disagree with another reviewer on this page who suggests one cannot detect Josh Homme's influence on this album. True, "Humbug" is no Desert Rock album, but the more primordial, often erotic and sweaty stew, which permeates QOTSA's music is very apparent here.
This makes for a particularly beguiling listen; Alex Turner always writes with a real pop sensibility, so where QOTSA might go off on an extended jam from time-to-time, this wonderful record has not an ounce of flab on it. 10 songs, 39 minutes, every moment made with the listener in mind.
On their previous album, "Do Me A Favour" and "505" in particular hinted that in terms of song structure and growing lyrical maturity, this band were going to be taking us to some interesting places in future. "Humbug" delivers on that promise... and then some. I've been playing this to death over the past few days and still can't help grinning at the surfeit of genuine surprises and moments of sheer invention that are crammed into its lean running time. All of that and the usual serving of great hooks, riffs and memorable choruses (they spoil us..really, they do!) make this a record anyone with an interest in music made with guitars is going to derive immense joy and satisfaction from.
Arctic Monkeys are so far above and beyond the "Landfill Indie" being peddled around the festival circuit by their peers that comparisons seem laughable. There'll never be another Beatles (and who'd want that anyway?) but when the history of this great band is finally written, it's very possible that "Humbug" will be viewed as their "Revolver" - the record that frees them to go wherever they want. For now, they've arrived at a great place.
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20 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Humbug, 19 Aug 2009
I sit on the fence with this album. I did not enjoy Favourite Worst Nightmare, but was enthused to hear that Josh Homme was working on this album. You can definitely hear his influence on these tracks in the dark and brooding tone of the songs with several having QoTSA-esque off-kilter time signatures and unnerving guitar solos ('Pretty Visitors' being the prime example). There are hints of other bands too; 'My Propellor' reminds me of Echo & the Bunnymen a little, and 'Potion Approaching' is Nirvana-esque.
The album seems quite one-dimensional with all of the songs sounding too similar in my mind. It lacks the oomph of the band's debut. Even the structure of the songs is quite samey, with many tracks relying on a short riff running throughout the verse to drive the track ('Dangerous Animals' is one such example). While these are intelligently written, they are not memorable enough to hook the listener. The album does give some of Alex's best vocal performances though, particularly in 'Secret Door' and 'Cornerstone' (perhaps the two best tracks on the album), with a return to his crooning Scott Walker-esque vocals as heard on the Last Shadow Puppets album.
Overall though the album is somewhat average. I'm all for moving forward and experimenting with musical styles, but not at the expense of energy and hooks. The songs are good, but nothing more than that, and the album becomes a little dull, even monotonous, towards the end because the pace remains the same throughout. It is not until 'Pretty Visitors' (which is another good track, despite the suspect lyric - 'What came first...?'), the penultimate track, that we get a faster song. Gone is the excitement of Whatever People Say I Am..., replaced by a certain reserve and restraint, as if the band are playing safe. It is better than Favourite Worst Nightmare, if only because it is more consistent, but while 'Cornerstone' is perhaps one of their best tracks to date, the other songs do not hold up to the Arctic Monkeys' back catalogue.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A different Monkey altogether, 16 Sep 2009
I was, and still am a big fan of the Arctic Monkeys. I thought that 'Whatever People Say I Am...' was one of the best debut albums I'd heard in nearly a decade, and I thought that 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' had some of the best stuff they'd done, even if it was a bit patchy. I was very much looking forward to this follow up. I'd heard that it was going to be a much more slow and mellow album, which certainly didnt worry me as their earlier slower paced songs are amongst my favourites - 'A Certain Romance', 'Flourescent Adolescent', 'Mardy Bum' '505' to name a few.
This album starts off well with 'My Propeller' a song that makes me think of a night time drive scene in a movie, and 'Crying Lightning' at track 2 is a deliciously saucy number. But, songs 3 through 6 are sadly largely ignorable songs, which don't leave much of an impression, and seem to stumble along without much idea where to go. They're not bad songs, and there are some good lyrics, but they don't hold your attention much. 'Cornerstone' at track 7 is a fabulous song (The Arctic's slightly askew version of a love song), 'Dance Little Liar' simmers away nicely like a classic moody QOTSA number Arctic's style, 'Pretty Visitors' is a cracking menacing beast that has Alex Tuner's most piercing lyrics on the album. But the album ends rather inconspicuously with The Jewellers Hands, a song which acts like the end credits of a movie - you know the show is over, but you don't pay much attention to the credits.
So there's some good and some OK. But what there isn't on this album is anything EXCEPTIONAL. Josh Homme's production is very obvious, and that's not a bad thing as he does exactly what the songs need, but none of these songs are instant. It's an album that you play and happily get into, but having listened to this album for over a month now there arent any specific songs on here that I immediately return to. The last 2 albums had stand out songs a plenty, this doesnt. If you are already a fan it's definately worth having. If you're new to the Arctic Monkeys, the other albums are an easier starting point.
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