Arctic Monkeys Suck It and See

Czjeck it out. For those of you who don’t know what 'Suck It And See' might refer to, it’s either the dirty thing that goes on in local parks, shopping centres, public spaces and occasionally at home, or it’s a reference to the once widely-championed British independent music store Fopp that shut its doors some four years ago now, before being re-opened as part of the HMV chain. Its very slogan used to be: “suck it and see” (a fun but oblique reference to their returns policy). I don’t know if it’s still there like that.

Anyway, that’s not the point. Big news people: and this blog is only 10 days late in bringing it to you, so you probably already know about it. The Arctic Monkeys have a new song, called ‘Brick by Brick’, to be followed by an album calllled….Suck It and See. Personally I lost track (and admittedly interest), after Favourite Worst Nightmare in 2007. But, with what will be now three albums in four years, whatever this record is like, that is good going- and a damn fine example too for all those bands taking time- damn them- over writing, recording and releasing albums.

Apparently Josh Homme did NOT have a hand in producing this album, which is thankfully a marked break. But, clearly, with that statement in mind, shouldn’t the release lack Homme’s influence? Obviously yes. But perhaps, evidently, not. Check out 'Brick by Brick'. It’s ok, I’ll wait…



…can you guess what it is yet? Yes, I know- I thought it too. This is QOTSA. Rockin' guitar solo in check with the same Homme-style distortion; that dank, driving rhythm. This very confuzzles brain machine. Anywho, let’s not get bogged down with production semantics. What do you think of the song? I think it’s awesome. Exciting. Alex Turner has lost his Sheffield drawl (not that there was anything wrong with it, but this sees him explore a new identity and demeanour maybe), and he has thrown some meat on those musical bones. Just look at the video. Wowee, they’re so comfortable they don’t even use a proper video.

Ok, so a bit of sarcasm there.

The album is out 6th June in the UK and 7th in the US.