If Arctic Monkeys’ 2006 debut provided a soundtrack for adolescence, the band’s latest album proves they’ve grown up quite a bit. Marking a change from their danceable indie pop days (think “Fluorescent Adolescent” and “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor”), their fourth album, Suck it and See, sounds more like old–school rock ‘n’ roll. With the lyrical genius and catchy riffs so characteristic of its predecessors, Suck it and See challenges listeners to do just that: forget what you know and witness a musical transformation.
At first, Suck it and See sounds like the product of an entirely different band. Their opening track “She’s Thunderstorms” showcases a mellow sound, with warm drums and drowsy vocals. The first half of the album demonstrates the band’s ability to be dirty and heavy, with tracks like “The Hellcat Spangled Shalala” (whose title says it all). The repetitive lyrics and shiny guitars in “Brick by Brick” channel bands like Oasis and The Subways, bringing the band’s classical rock persona to life.
But after a closer listen, Arctic Monkeys haven’t changed all that much. The album is not without jangly tunes, wistful lyrics and Alex Turner’s distinctive vocals. Like the band’s older hits, tracks like “Reckless Serenade” and the slowdance–worthy “Piledriver Waltz” inspire an overwhelming and pure sense of nostalgia. In the eponymous “Suck it and See,” Turner sings “I pour my aching heart into a pop song/I couldn’t get the hang of poetry/ That’s not a skirt girl, that’s a sawed-off shotgun/And I can only hope you’ve got it aimed at me”. Clearly, the pangs of unrequited love and heartbreak are still there, and that’s where Arctic Monkeys betray their true identity.
On the whole, the band makes the best use of hard bass lines and fast beats to show off their musical maturity, but Turner’s lovesick lyrics give them away. This is still the sound of romance and misery, the way only Arctic Monkeys can craft it.
3.5/5 stars
Arctic Monkeys Suck it and See Sounds like: Old time rock and roll Good for: Nursing a broken heart while dancing 99–Cent Download: “Reckless Serenade”
