(Domino)
**
Arctic Monkeys abandon their roots on their third album, said Sean Fennessey in Spin. Taking a “decidedly different direction” on Humbug, the Sheffield lads leave behind England—as well as the “jagged, ramshackle guitar rock and devilishly detailed observations” that made them a sensation. Having spent months in the Mojave Desert with Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, the group has emerged within a haze of dour sludge-rock. While the lads deserve credit for trying to evolve, they come close to jettisoning what made them great, said Alexis Petridis in the London Guardian. Alex Butler’s biting lyrics, once a driving force, are often drowned in the sonic mire. “There’s not much of a tune” to songs like “Dance Little Liar,” which gets swept away in atmospherics. But the band occasionally gets it right. “Cornerstone” is a “witty, poignant evocation of lost love” and “Secret Door” is a wry observation of celebrity. Arctic Monkeys need to churn out more like these to get back on track.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
