Review
Arctic Monkeys
Suck It And See

Alex Turner has a captivating way of churning seemingly simple rock tunes into lyrically fueled fits of manic moods, lost lovers and “syncing hearts.” The 25-year-old front man of the British based quartet, Arctic Monkeys, is at the top of his songwriting game on this full-length album, Suck It and See.

The Arctic Monkeys return with their witty blend of garage rock and pop melodies for their fourth full-length album. After joining forces with Josh Homme (the monolith behind Queens of the Stone Age) on 2009’s Humbug, the band retreat to familiar ground with the help of producer James Ford. What Homme did in the way of deepening the Monkey’s sound on the former, enriched in haunting effects and desert rock sonics, Ford contrasts with bright, polished production efforts.

The result is an album reminiscent of the band’s earlier works preceding Humbug. By no means is this a regression, however; this album showcases some of their best work since the UK’s fastest selling debut album in history, 2006’s Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. This isn’t a matter of measuring up, as these guys have clearly come a long way in five years.

Turner’s signature croon remains true to form. His versatility is easily represented by the band’s ability to shift moods seamlessly between tracks. “Library Pictures”, a heavy, fast-paced, riff-oriented tune with pulsing drums and shouting vocals is followed by “All My Own Stunts”, a menacing rocker with a rolling ender. “Stunts” also happens to be the only track to feature Homme, contributing some layered whispers.

Things turn a bit melancholy for the latter half of the album. “Piledriver Waltz” and “Love Is A Laserquest” are evocative sentiments of heartbreak and lovers unforgotten. These tracks thrive on aching hooks and lyrics pertaining to “breakfast at the Heartbreak Hotel” and finding methods to “pretend that you were just some lover.” Honesty pours through these tracks, which is where the power of each song lies. Turner has always been a gifted lyricist, known primarily for smart-ass word play and sweet-nothings, but here he proves capable of far more than a front.

Overall, Suck It and See is another solid addition to this band’s catalogue. The weakest track may very well be “Brick By Brick”, a straight-forward chorus/verse piece that doesn’t seem to amount to much more than a five second pause before its final refrain. Initially assumed to be the lead single, drummer Matt Helders revealed that this would not be the case.

It’s unique in a sense; there are elements that are nostalgic of prior releases, but as a whole, this album stands on its own. It’s a refreshing entry to summer album from a group who don’t seem to know how to put out a bad record. One can only hope these guys don’t freeze.