Humbug (album)

''Humbug'' is the third studio album by English rock band Arctic Monkeys, first released on 19 August 2009 through the Domino Recording Company. The band started to write new material for the album towards the end of summer 2008, and finished it entirely in spring 2009. Like their previous release, ''Favourite Worst Nightmare'' (2007), ''Humbug'' was released first in Japan, followed by Australia, Brazil, Ireland and Germany, on 21 August 2009. It was then released in the UK on 24 August 2009, in the US the following day and in Greece on 31 August.

Wholly recorded in the United States, Arctic Monkeys' worked with American musician Josh Homme, who produced tracks recorded in Los Angeles and the Mojave Desert alongside New York City recordings produced by James Ford. Musically, the album is a departure from the punk-influenced sound of the band with it having a desert/ surf and ambient tone. Homme has been credited by writers for introducing the album's darker sound. Percussion instruments were used on the album, including xylophones, glockenspiels and shakers. Lead singer Alex Turner's vocals on the album is noted as a drastic change from the upbeat approach on Arctic Monkeys' previous albums to a slower and hushed approach. Turner's songwriting also is a departure from his kitchen-sink realism poetry, instead being replaced by analogies.

The release preceded the band's headline performances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals at the end of that week. It topped the UK Albums Chart and has been certified platinum in the UK. Though ''Humbug'' did not receive the extent of acclaim that both ''Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not'' (2006) and ''Favourite Worst Nightmare'' received by critics, it received generally positive reviews, with critics noting that the band expanded their sound and themes, while the album's tone was recognised as darker than the band's upbeat previous records. Retrospectively, ''Humbug'' is considered one of the band's most important records, with many noting it as containing various musical styles and lyrical themes the band would explore on later releases.

Composition

Musically, ''Humbug'' has been described as psychedelic rock, hard rock, stoner rock, and desert rock.

Writing and recording

The band started writing songs for the album towards the end of summer 2008, with lead singer Alex Turner suggesting that the inspiration for the first few guitar riffs came while the band were attending the Latitude Festival in Suffolk. Tracks were written through the end of 2008, with recording taking place around the band's touring schedule towards late 2008 and early 2009. Alex Turner wrote all the album. Co-produced by Josh Homme, the album was wholly recorded in the United States. Homme-produced tracks recorded in Los Angeles and the Mojave Desert alongside New York City recordings produced – as per the second album – by James Ford, who also produced the album ''The Age of the Understatement'' by Turner's side-project The Last Shadow Puppets.

While recording the album, the band incorporated a wide variety of instruments that they had not used previously. Baritone and slide guitars can be heard throughout the album, as well as new guitar effects. The guitar playing on the album has a desert/ surf tone. The presence of a variety of keyboards on almost every track was something new for the band, with lead singer Alex Turner recording all of them himself with the exception of the album's singles, which were handled by session and touring keyboardist John Ashton. The presence of new percussion instruments was also evident, as the band used xylophones, glockenspiels and shakers. While being interviewed for the BBC's ''The Culture Show'', Turner and Matt Helders cited Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Jake Thackray, John Cale, Nick Cave, Roky Erickson and the Beatles as influences on the recording of the album.

The album's tone is more relaxed than the band's "aggressive" previous records. Robin Murray of ''Clash'' notes that a "spooky carnivalesque atmosphere permeates the album; there’s the recurring waltzer organ, the circus-like marching drums, and of course the bellowing ringmaster, luring us all into the dark and devilish delights of what’s in store. Homme has been credited by writers for introducing the album's darker sound. Murray further notes Turner's voice as transitioning from "breakneck reality bites" into a dark, deep and hushed singing voice. According to Mike Driver in his BBC Music review, "''Humbug'' embraces the true nature of album-craft by sequencing ten tracks in such a way that coherence and consistency bind constituent pieces into a single, enjoyably sombre whole." Driver also notes that " Kitchen-sink realism poetry’s replaced by rampant analogies, characters of the everyday transformed into otherworldly denizens with wicked intentions. Turner still spills syllables rather too swiftly at times ..but largely a slow-and-steady approach prevails, mirrored by the music’s assured shuffle." Murray highlights that the two most distinct features that dominate ''Humbug'' are "the smoky trembling guitar" and Turner’s matured croon.

Release

Early soundbites of tracks from the album appeared in the band's periodical video diary on YouTube. The first single of the album was "Crying Lightning". It was released on 6 July, when it was played on BBC Radio 1 and was available for download from iTunes after midnight that day. On 4 October 2009 the band's official website announced the second single from the album would be "Cornerstone".

On 1 February 2010, the third single from the album was announced to be "My Propeller", which was released on 22 March. Similar to other singles from the album, was released on 7" and as an exclusive 10" vinyl available only in Oxfam shops. The B-sides on the 10" vinyl were "Joining the Dots", "The Afternoon's Hat" and "Don't Forget Whose Legs You're On", with just "Joining the Dots" available as a B-side on the 7" version.

Like their previous release, ''Favourite Worst Nightmare'' (2007), ''Humbug'' was released first in Japan on 19 August 2009, followed by Australia, Brazil, Ireland and Germany, on 21 August 2009. It was then released in the UK on 24 August 2009, in the US the following day and in Greece on 31 August. "I Haven't Got My Strange" was included as an iTunes bonus track, while a cover of "Red Right Hand" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was included as a bonus track on the Japanese release. Upon release, the album sold over 96,000 copies in its first week in the UK, topping the UK Albums Chart. By September 2013, the album had sold 320,921 copies in the UK.

Arctic Monkeys embarked on the first leg of the worldwide Humbug Tour in January 2009 and went on to headline 2009's Reading and Leeds Festivals. During this performance, they played a number of songs from ''Humbug'', plus older tracks and a cover of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Red Right Hand". They were also the headline act on the first night of 2009's Exit festival in Serbia. In North America, where they had less of a following, they played abridged sets at Montreal's Osheaga Festival, as well as New Jersey's All Points West Music and Arts Festival. The tour finished in early 2010 in Mexico.

Critical reception

''Humbug'' received generally positive reviews from critics, albeit less positive than its two predecessors. It received a rating of 75 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 26 critic reviews.

Jason Lipshutz of '' Billboard'' stated that the band "justif esthe hype by shifting its best qualities into different, equally dazzling shapes." John Mulvey of ''Uncut'' felt that "Homme's role as producer, perhaps, has been to nurture the soundscaping that was attempted on ''Humbug''s predecessor, and, critically, to encourage a sense of space and stealth." In his positive review of the album, Joe Tangari of ''Pitchfork'' noted that "''Humbug'' isn't better than either of its predecessors, but it expands the group's range and makes me curious where it might go next. It also demonstrates a great deal of staying power for a band that could have imploded before it ever got this far." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave ''Humbug'' a positive review. Although he found it overall wasn't as accessible as its two predecessors, he noted that the band were beginning to push their limits in regards to creativity, and composing music carefree of whether or not they were successful in America. He further noted that opinion towards the album might change retrospectively: "the record may mean more in the long-term that it does on its own."

While overall response was positive, the album was criticised by some for not containing the same hooks that the band had become known for, with '' Spin''s Sean Fennessey calling the album "accomplished, but not particularly infectious."

Retrospective commentary

In retrospect, ''Humbug'' has been considered a very important piece in Arctic Monkeys' catalogue, having introduced a variety of new styles and themes, both lyrically and musically, to the band, that they have expanded on since its release. It marked the first time they recorded material under Queens of the Stone Age frontman, Josh Homme's, influence. In an ''NME'' article, Mike Williams writes, "If Arctic Monkeys had never walked into the desert with Josh Homme to record 'Humbug' in 2009, they could never have made ' AM'. 'Humbug' was as much about subverting people's impressions of who the band were as it was an album in its own right." Nevertheless, ''Humbug'' remains the band's most polarising album. Both ''NME'' and ''Consequence of Sound'' ranked ''Humbug'' the band's weakest release thus far in 2015 and 2018, respectively. While both acknowledged the album's position in the band's discography, ''NME'' nevertheless stated: "in retrospect, it feels more like an important bridge between the youthful vim of old and the meatier material that would come than a destination." Meanwhile, ''Consequence of Sound'' wrote that ''Humbug'' paved the way for songwriting evolution seen in the band's follow-up efforts '' Suck It and See'' (2011) and ''AM''. Conversely, both the ''Evening Standard'' and ''The Independent'', in 2018 and 2019, respectively, argue that ''Humbug'' is Arctic Monkeys' greatest album, with the former stating that the record was the band's "most accomplished collection of tracks yet, which captured the sound of a band at the peak of their creative powers."

Track listing

All tracks are written by Alex Turner.

Personnel

Arctic Monkeys
*Alex Turner – lead vocals; backing vocals , guitar; keyboards
*Jamie Cook – guitar
*Nick O'Malley – bass guitar; backing vocals
*Matt Helders – drums, percussion; backing vocals

Additional musicians
*John Ashton – keyboards , backing vocals
*Alison Mosshart – additional vocals

Technical
*Joshua Homme – production
* James Ford – production
*Alain Johannes – engineering
*Justin Smith – engineering assistance
*Claudius Mittendorfer – additional engineering
*Rich Costey – mixing
*Howie Weinberg – mastering

Artwork
*Guy Aroch – cover photography, booklet photography
*Chapman Baehler – booklet photography
*Mark Bull – booklet photography
*Justin Smith – booklet photography

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Humbug (Album)
2009 albums
Arctic Monkeys albums
Albums produced by James Ford (musician)
Albums produced by Josh Homme
Domino Recording Company albums