Visuals: Arctic Monkeys – Cornerstone

mp3//

This music video will either go down as one of the most iconic of all time or it’ll be laughed off in a flash. Alex Turner stands alone, tape recorder in hand, sporting a red turtleneck jumper and dark grey trousers. Girls will collapse, boys will squirm. It could assist ‘Cornerstone‘ in becoming one of the most famous songs in Arctic Monkeys’ back-catalogue when those of us look band in decades to come. It deserves to be. So admire this pretty boy eyeing the camera up for three and a half minutes.

0 people like this post.

Like 

Arctic Monkeys: Humbug

Debate is filtering in as to whether ‘Humbug’ is a stepping stone, a stumbling block, or a cause for celebration. Three Music Fan’s Mic writers discovered that they had three differing opinions and they decided to share them with each-other. Gareth O’Malley sees it as their best record to date, a complete triumph. Jamie Milton is a little more skeptical, declaring it a sign of maturity by deeply flawed, and Edward Perry doesn’t dismiss the merit of the record but can see much room for improvement…

———————————

Review #1 – Edward Perry
Arctic Monkeys team up with guitar god Josh Homme, camp in the desert and produce their third album, ‘Humbug’. The resulting noise should be nothing but pure modern musical genius, right? Wrong. Yes, music is all about opinions, but ‘Humbug’ never reaches more than middle-of-the-road, drab rock (not exactly the post-punk/ psychedelic effort we were promised). We may expect as much from James Morrison, but Arctic Monkeys are meant to be the band of our generation that gave music a kick up its complacent back side.

Crying Lightning is not immediate, unlike previous ‘Monkeys singles, but with time is catchy, but again there is nothing to it to make you want more. The same can be said for the remainder of Humbug. It should be said that none of the songs are overly bad, but nor are they particularly good.

‘Humbug’ is perhaps a victim of hype and yet, it will still sell handsomely, but hopefully it is not sales Alex & co. are looking for. I hope they dream of an album that stands the test of time and a body of work to make them the Gods they could so easily be. They have missed the boat with this one, but I shall remain waiting with anticipation for their fourth effort. ‘Humbug’ is a pleasing listen, but not anything more.

6.6

———————————

Review #2 – Jamie Milton
‘Humbug’ is without doubt, a step forward for a band who could only really mature. Alex Turner remains the crux of everything; his lyrical content, now sexually undertoned, more intelligent, testing and cryptic to a listener, will come under much scrutiny from fans and critics respectively. His vocals remain youthful, limited in range but all the more for it. He evidently stays put as the brains behind the bulk of the Arctic Monkeys sound.

When compared to predecessors, ‘Humbug’ falters as something perplexingly mid-tempo, nearly devoid of testosterone and cheek. Uninspired, maybe? The counter argument is that the band have found a new muse, calming down in the process. Brief glimmers of originality and inventiveness keep the album afloat and the down ‘n dirty, bass-heavy sonics are undoubtedly and rightfully encouraged onwards by producer Joss Homme. Change is apparent and change should be welcomed. A band with the whole of Britain’s expectations on their shoulders continue to appear free-thinking, which is wholly surprising and should be commended.

7.4

———————————

Review #3 – Gareth O’Malley
They say that change is hard, but staying the same is torture. Arctic Monkeys must obviously have been aware of this when writing ‘Humbug’, as this is a clear step away from the first two albums. Casual fan is not going to find much to enjoy here past single ‘Crying Lightning’. An Arctic Monkeys album not stuffed with hooks!? Shocking!

Shockingly good, too. Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age fame produced the bulk of the material on offer here, and he’s had a clear influence on the new direction: ‘Dangerous Animals’ and ‘Pretty Visitors’ are up-tempo rockers that are definitely QOTSA-inspired. There are slower moments here too, such as ‘Dance Little Liar’, which features one of the best choruses the Arctics have written to date, and the hypnotic second half of ‘Potion Approaching’, which shuffles along, driven by Matt Helders’ drumming (the man has seriously upped his game here, and he’s talented indeed) before reprising the opening riff and skidding to a halt.

A markedly different side of Arctic Monkeys is on display here, on an album that may, in time, be considered their best. Patience is the key here. Much like the boiled sweet of the same name, as Alex Turner himself said, ‘You’ll just have to suck it and see.”

9.0

mp3: Arctic Monkeys – Cornerstone

0 people like this post.

Like