Humbug
| Arctic Monkeys
Humbug
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 songs for the album towards the end of summer 2008, and finished it entirely in spring 2009. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
The Arctics expand their sound with the help of producer Josh Homme (QOTSA) on this, their relatively relaxed, confident third album.
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Consequence of Sound
The band’s earlier releases were fun and energetic, but Humbug is like Greta Garbo in Grand Hotel. Pure class, baby.
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Rolling Stone
It has the local color of the earliest Monkeys tunes, but it’s definitely grown-up, with bittersweet wit popping out of every line.
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The Guardian
Arctic Monkeys have got a brave new California sound. Thankfully, they've kept their homegrown sense of humour.
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The Quietus
Humbug shudders to an end – not the brave departure we'd perhaps been led to expect, but certainly an evolution of the slower and more atmospheric tracks from Favourite Worst Nightmare.
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BBC
Incorporating elements of rock‘n’roll's past it's still a very modern affair.
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Clash Music
‘Humbug’ is a triumph of courage and impudence, and one giant step forward for this country’s most impressive youngsters.
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All Music
Humbug was not done with hopes of breaking the American market or reacting spitefully against it, it is solely about big, loud, dark noise.
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NME
There are some undeniably amazing tunes to be found in its midst.
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Telegraph
The Arctic Monkeys' Humbug is a brilliant record, built to last.
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Sputnik Music
The Arctic monkeys aren’t far off the perfect album here. It is without question the most cohesive and obscure album they’ve ever attempted.
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Tiny Mix Tapes
With Humbug, they've finally matriculated out of the class of the 00s, outpacing and outclassing their former peers.
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Drowned in Sound
Humbug is a pretty good album that’s pleasingly incongruous amongst the pre-fab boredom of much modern Brit indie.
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Uncut
Humbug subtly shrugs off that unwanted mantle, and in the same deft movement, promises a much more interesting future.
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Music OMH
Humbug is another intriguing step in the evolution of Britain’s most exciting guitar band.
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Radio X
This album took the rockers up another notch, and prepared us for what was eventually to come in 2013.
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Billboard
"Humbug" finds the group justifying the hype by shifting its best qualities into different, equally dazzling shapes.
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Digital Spy
Arctic Monkeys defy critics with their harder, heavier and devilishly dark third album.
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Cluas
It’s certainly something I’ll listen to in the background when I’m doing other things, but as a work of art, I think it’s disappointing.
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Pure Grain Audio
It’s a f*cking good album.
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Live 4Ever
This writer certainly thinks it some of their finest work but it just doesn't feel like home.
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Music Feeds
Give it more than a few plays and let it grow on you.
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Pajiba
It's artfully done.
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Garage Music News
Eloquently reach[es] genius-level lyricism.
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No Ripcord
Whatever Humbug lacks in middle fingers, or even thematic continuity, it makes up for with sinister gazes and scathing ambiguities.
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Alibi
A change had to come, and this one's for the better.
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Record Collector Mag
When the Monkeys are on point, as on opener My Propeller (sounding unnervingly like Morrissey), they still beguile with magnificent musicianship and wry chord changes.
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Them's Fightin' Words
There are too many tracks on this album for me to go through it all, so let it just be said that I cannot fault this album.
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RTE
While 'Humbug' isn't as strong as its predecessors, the darker energy should eventually connect.
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What Culture
Humbug is a very moody album with its greatest strength being in the way it blends softer melodies with indie rock sensibilities in a unique structure.
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Soundbytes Music
The songs represent both a step to soften the edginess of their angular-guitar rants while enriching the overall melodic framework.
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34st
The album is solid, just not the Monkeys’ best.
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