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Arctic Monkeys Slowed Down Sound Still Sells

Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009

The Arctic Monkeys new album Humbug officially debuted at number one on the UK charts this week making it the band’s third album to do so. Trying to follow up the success of 2007’s Favorite Worst Nightmare, the band went out into the American west to record with Queens of the Stoneage frontman Josh Homme in search of a new sound. Loosing none of their trademark cynicism or wit, the band slows down their tempo and brings up the low end crunch to create a powerhouse new album where lead singer Alex Turner abandons his snarky British punkboy voice to become what PopMatters’ Emily Tartanella calls “a husky voiced crooner”.


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8 Jun 2011
The nods to their own past are always brief and measured; this album was crafted by a band moving inescapably forward.
9 Jun 2010
Thus, this sealed the deal in terms of a very disappointing performance. Let’s hope it was just one bad show and nothing more.
17 May 2010
Arctic Monkeys' EP runs largely on the title track's strength. Still, even the weaker tracks point to a bright future for the band and its nascent laureate, Alex Turner
By Jon Gitchoff
18 Dec 2009
Photos by Jon Gitchoff
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