Arctic Monkeys Humbug (180GV)

"[They] continue to churn out spiky Britpop anthems, though they take a (relative) turn for the deeper and darker here." -- Grade: B+
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."
"[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."
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."