Review: Suck It And See -Arctic Monkeys

Five years ago, the Arctic Monkeys made a name for themselves in the UK with their smashing debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. Frontman Alex Turner’s snotty lyrics about the drab life he and his mates lived in Sheffield made for perfect narratives that were brought to life with clever guitar riffs and a steady beat. Each album has been a success and the band have only continued to grow. 2007’s Favourite Worst Nightmare was more of the same while 2009’s Humbug revealed a band that had so much more to explore and give. Their upcoming release, Suck It And See, continues down Humbug’s journey with a more accessible vintage sound that isn’t afraid to get a little loud.

The album eerily unfolds with “She’s Thunderstorms”, a poetic ode to Turner’s girlfriend, Alexa Chung. The song itself is lucid, parallel to Turner’s vocals that sound almost whispered. The second track, “Black Treacle” has lyrics reminiscent of The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Nothing sounds too dark, there’s no exceptional hook unless guitarist Jamie Cook’s slide work that gives the track a bit of an Oasis sound. The great thing is that the band comes out, guns blaring, with each member playing to their individual strengths.

Tracks like “Brick by Brick” and “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair” pack a heavier punch than their predecessors. Turner adapts to his lower register, as drummer Matt Helders relies heavily on hitting his cymbals as hard as he can. The guitar work, from both Turner and Cook, is much more intricate than on previous albums. Solos are placed where solos usually aren’t found while the frantic, 3-chord progression that helped catapult them to indie stardom is nowhere to be found.

As the songs themselves become more intricate, so do the lyrics and song titles. The irrelevantly titled “The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala” showcases the Monkeys’ first real heavy bass groove from Nick O’Malley while the always leading guitars echo into the background.

There are quintessential moments on Suck It, however. “Library Pictures” sounds uncannily like “The Bad Thing” and “Do Me a Favour” before slowing into a more psychedelic trance -only enhanced by Turner’s hypnotic vocals. “All My Stunts” could have easily been placed on Humbug, sounding like a mash-up of “Dangerous Animals” and “Secret Door.” It is, however, the band’s most inspired track –featuring vocal overlay and back-up vocals courtesy of Josh Homme, guitar distortions, and Helders’ heaviest drumming to date.

“Reckless Serenade” is by far the most beautiful and poetic track. The caverns of Alex Turner’s mind must be filled to the brim –half with sappy love songs (“I’m a fool for you”) of really any decade and half with the biting wit of poets such as Bukowski (“Your waitress was miserable, and so was your food”). As far as modern lyricists go, he is on another level. He is a lyrical poet of Morrison’s caliber. The heartbreakingly honest “Love is a Laserquest” reminds me of “Only Ones Who Know,” where Turner reminisces about a love who moved on, leaving him to rot alone –only this time, he’s calling her out.

“Suck It & See” and “That’s Where You’re Wrong” cap off the album. The suggestiveness of “Suck It & See” could easily be about finding true love as it could be about sex, while “That’s Where You’re Wrong” is a layered, shrilling beacon of ‘60s peppered rock & roll. Turner is crooning on this track, capturing each theme the album holds into a perfect four minutes. The song is happy and sad, but optimistic rather than sarcastic and cynical. It sounds as if it was written on some beach on the west coast, rather than in the confined, industrial town that is Sheffield.

The great thing about the Arctic Monkeys is that they grow just enough to remain relevant and exciting, yet they know where their roots are. If the album has that late ‘60s, California pop ring to it, it’s because that’s what it is at its inner-most core, yet it’s heavy enough to still be considered “rock and roll” or, at its most dumbed down, indie. All the familiarities remain; poetic tangents, ubiquitous narratives, Turner’s soft yet commanding vocals, and a band that’s playing as tight and as together as ever. Where the album lacks in hooks, frantic dance-ability, and tracks that can stand out as obvious radio “singles”, it ironically makes up for it with its sheer simplicity. **9.4/10