Humhug

Entertainment Weekly (p.62) - "[They] continue to churn out spiky Britpop anthems, though they take a (relative) turn for the deeper and darker here." -- Grade: B+ Uncut - 4 stars out of 5 -- "On 'The Jeweller's Hand,' Turner channels the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe....'Dance Little Liar' is more gothic still, Arctic Monkeys revealing a previously hidden talent for cinematics." Alternative Press - "[With] thoughtful, introspective songs like the opener 'My Propeller' and 'Secret Door,' a tune that displays an almost Cure-like poignancy." Billboard - "The Monkeys still favor angular riffs and clenched rhythms, constructing tightly framed vignettes not widescreen epics, but they're working with a darker palette and creating vaguely abstract compositions..." Paste (magazine) (p.51) - "Arctic Monkeys collect their darkest impulses and put them on stark display; it's another massive step forward in a career that seems marked for greatness." Pitchfork (Website) - "It's their loosest record yet by far....The guitars in particular have a snapping, reverberant desert/surf tone that fuels the band's descent into night." Record Collector (magazine) (p.80) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Turner can floor with his wordplay....Plus the chops, particularly of drummer Matt Helders, who does well not to buckle under Homme's glare, are, frankly, amazing throughout." Clash (Magazine) - "Maturity has spread throughout the bnad....Rhythms and melodies collide on every song, with various exotic instrumentation decorating the quartet's foundation sound."

通算3枚目となるこの新作で彼らは現行ロック・シーンにおけるもっともリアルな存在であり、進化することを恐れないモンスター・バンドであることを証明した。新たにジョシュ・オムをプロデューサーに迎え、サウンドはよりヘヴィーに、よりUSオルタナ嗜好へとシフト。もっとも、かねてからメタル〜ヘヴィー・ロック好きを公言していただけに、バンドはナチュラルに新境地を切り拓いたと受け取るべきだろう。傑作!　
bounce (C)白神篤史