After an almost silent two years, Arctic Monkeys finally return with the much-anticipated fourth album, plainly titled Suck It And See. The cover offers as much to the imagination as the title itself, but both pose the same question – namely, suck it and see.
For the Arctic Monkeys, this represents a matured progression in their more recent developments. Having blown the world away with the lyrical accuracy and story-like nature of gritty debut Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not, and progressed musically with the deeper, more evocative follow-up Favourite Worst Nightmare, it’s fair to say that opinion was divided on their third offering.
‘Humbug’ was certainly once again a musical progression. Heavier, faster guitar mixed with more experimental structures and lyrics, many fans felt it lost the feel of a band that they had grown accustomed to. Having spent time in the desert with Queens of The Stone Age lead Josh Homme, the influence of QOTSA was all too clear. Personally, I loved it. As a drummer, and a fan of various musical genres, I felt the album once again displayed the Arctic Monkey’s confidence in experimenting with music and creating an album that, whilst not certain to be a commercial success, would be something they would be proud of.
From the polished, rehearsed recordings that graced that last record, comes a raw and immediate offering in the form of Suck It And See. Having been largely recorded live, and with the pure feeling of a band perhaps rediscovering the features that made them a hit, the album addresses the many fans that were disappointed by the last record. Here, Turner and Co. offer their audience a chance to listen to what might be deemed more “traditional” Arctic Monkeys, or as they put it, just suck it and see.
As I mentioned above, the record is far more immediate. The majority of the tracks follow a more common structure. The chord progressions and riffs are catchy and you get the impression they’ve been created through thought rather than research and musical discussions. Helders’ drumming is more constant through most of the songs, and as on every single record, impeccably timed with the firm baseline of O’Malley.
For me the stand out track is the first single, ‘Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair‘, but ‘The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala’ – which lyrically resembles something from a Lewis Carroll poem – ‘Library Pictures’, and ‘That’s Where You’re Wrong’ produce pleasing and powerful sounds that echo early AM work, whilst continuing to establish a band that have progressed in many ways. Helders is even given the lead on ‘Brick by Brick‘. Turner’s lyrical genius is present throughout, from the completely insane, to the beautifully poetic:
“You’re rarer than a can of Dandelion and Burdock/And those other girls are just postmix lemonade.”
All in all, this album is worth listening to for so many reasons. For fans disappointed by ‘Humbug‘, the record represents a chance to rekindle the belief in a band who have become the indie face of a nation for over five years. For the fans who stuck with them through it all, the new record gives the opportunity for a nostalgic reminisce of a band who have certainly developed, whilst continuing to produce albums that commit to the Arctic Monkeys style of production. The new album leaves you anticipating a live tour later in the year, and I have no doubt that the band will deliver!
Tom Wallin
Tags: Arctic Monkeys, Favourite Worst Nightmare, Humbug, indie, queens of the stone age, Suck It And See, Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not
