****"Bah humbug", Ebenezer Scrooge once spat. The modern day equivalent has probably been emanating forth from many a 'Monkeys' fan in recent weeks fuelled I suspect by the bands departure from anthemic, booze infused ode's to nights on the razz in favour of a more considered approach.
Considered approach or not, they still can't get album covers right. 'Favourite Worse Nightmare' had an absolute stinker but 'Humbug's' is as bland as John Craven reading the shipping forecast after an overdose on Night Nurse.
At first, the music appears to have little more pep. 'Crying Lightning' didn't exactly take the world by storm on release but, perfectly exemplifying this album, it is, to use a well worn term, 'a grower'.
Gradually, 'Humbug' reveals its considerable charms, layered as it is with hidden wonders, and although it is hard to pick out tracks with real 'single' potential, you find that all play their part in bringing a little extra sass to the 'Arctic Monkeys' repertoire, perhaps too much in opener 'My Propeller', hardly a subtle euphemism for Alex Turner's manhood.
'Fire and the Thud' flickers with a new found intensity whilst 'Dance Little Liar' growls and snarls, an infectious base riff rolling around your ear drums. 'Cornerstone', evokes an image of Jimmy Stewart in the film 'Vertigo', desperately seeking the woman he once loved, whilst 'Secret Door' purs with an assured air.
Despite the inevitable criticism this album will receive, in reality it is extremely hard to fault and although gone are Turner's whimsical ditties, he's managed to replace them with shadowy glimpses which in many ways suggest so much more, "You can never get it spotless when there's dirt beneath the dirt" - Mysterious, sinister and superb!
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