Humbug (album)

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Humbug
Studio album by Arctic Monkeys
Released Japan 19 August 2009
United Kingdom 24 August 2009
United States 25 August 2009
Recorded Winter 2008 and Spring 2009
New York City, Los Angeles, Rancho De La Luna in El Cajon, California[1]
Genre Indie rock, post-punk revival, psychedelic Rock
Length 39:20
Label Domino, Warner Bros., EMI
Producer Josh Homme, James Ford[2]
Professional reviews
Arctic Monkeys chronology
At the Apollo
(2008)		 Humbug
(2009)
Singles from Humbug
  1. "Crying Lightning"
    Released: July 6, 2009
  2. "Cornerstone"
    Released: November 16, 2009

Humbug is the third studio album by English alternative rock band Arctic Monkeys, released August 24, 2009 on Domino Records.

Like their last 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.[12] The release preceded the band's headline performances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals at the end of that week.

Contents

[edit] 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.[13] Tracks were written through the end of 2008, with recording taking place around the band's touring schedule towards late 2008 and early 2009.

Co-produced by Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal and Them Crooked Vultures, the album was wholly recorded in the United States. Homme-produced tracks recorded in Los Angeles and the Mojave Desert alongside New York recordings produced - as per the second album - by James Ford[1], who also produced the album The Age of the Understatement by Turner's side-project The Last Shadow Puppets.

Early soundbites of tracks from the album appeared in the band's periodical video diary on YouTube.[14]

[edit] Release

The first single off 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.

The album was leaked onto the Internet shortly after its initial digital release. Arctic Monkeys and Domino Records have been working with Web Sheriff to curb the number of pirated copies.

On October 4, 2009 the band's official website announced the second single from the album would be "Cornerstone"[15]. The Cornerstone B-side's were announced as being "Catapult", "Sketchead" and "Fright Lined Dining Room".

[edit] Reception

As with Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not and Favourite Worst Nightmare, Humbug was well-received by critics.[16] Billboard stated that the band "justif[ies] the hype by shifting its best qualities into different, equally dazzling shapes,"[17] while The Record Review noted that with Humbug, the Arctic Monkeys proved themselves to be a "band that surpasses most of its colleagues in terms of songwriting and performance ability."[18]. In his positive review of the album, Joe Tangari of Pitchfork Media 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."[19]. While overall response was positive, the album was criticized by some for not containing the same hooks and clever lyrics that the band had become known for, with Spin calling the album "accomplished, but not particularly infectious."[20]

[edit] Track listing

The album appeared for pre-order in the iTunes store with an eleventh track; "Sketchead".[21] A listing on HMV Japan later confirmed the identity of the two Japanese bonus tracks as "Red Right Hand" (a cover version of a song by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds performed on earlier tours) and "I Haven't Got My Strange"[22], which have also been released on the "Crying Lightning" single.

# Title Length
1. "My Propeller"   3:27
2. "Crying Lightning"   3:43
3. "Dangerous Animals"   3:30
4. "Secret Door"   3:43
5. "Potion Approaching"   3:32
6. "Fire and the Thud"   3:57
7. "Cornerstone"   3:17
8. "Dance Little Liar"   4:43
9. "Pretty Visitors"   3:40
10. "The Jeweller's Hands"   5:42

[edit] Charts

Question book-new.svg
 This section needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2009)
Charts (2009) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart 2
Irish Albums Chart 1
New Zealand Albums Chart 3
UK Album Chart 1
French Albums Chart 2
Japan Album Chart 3
Netherlands Album Chart 2
Spanish Album Chart 5
Swedish Albums Chart 12
Finnish Albums Chart 11[23]
Portugal Albums Chart 7[24]
US Billboard 200 15

[edit] Personnel

All tracks produced by Josh Homme, except tracks 1, 4 and 7, produced by James Ford. All lyrics by Alex Turner.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Arctic Monkeys Confirm New Album Details". MTV UK. 2 June 2009. http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/arctic-monkeys/news/123179-arctic-monkeys-confirm-new-album-details. Retrieved 3 June 2009. 
  2. ^ http://pitchfork.com/news/35485-arctic-monkeys-announce-new-album/
  3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Humbug > Review". Allmusic. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gpfpxzwaldhe~T1. Retrieved 2009-12-03. 
  4. ^ Lipshutz, Jason. "Arctic Monkeys, "Humbug"". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/new-releases#/new-releases/arctic-monkeys-humbug-1004003546.story. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  5. ^ Farber, Jim. "New Music Tuesdays: Arctic Monkeys warm to the desert in 'Humbug'". Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2009/08/25/2009-08-25_new_music_tuesdays.html. Retrieved 2009-08-26. 
  6. ^ Adams, Sean. "First Listen: Arctic Monkeys Humbug". Drowned in Sound. http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4137566-first-listen--arctic-monkeys-humbug. Retrieved 2009-08-10. 
  7. ^ Brolan, Stephen. "Arctic Monkeys ‘Humbug’ (Domino)". The Fly. http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/reviews/album-reviews/5735/arctic-monkeys. Retrieved 2009-08-21. 
  8. ^ Petridis, Alexis. "Arctic Monkeys: Humbug. Arctic Monkeys have got a brave new California sound. Thankfully, they've kept their homegrown sense of humour". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/aug/20/arctic-monkeys-humbug-cd-review. Retrieved 2009-08-20. 
  9. ^ a b Haider, Arwa. "Monkey magic arrives with the Arctics". Metro. http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/music/article.html?Monkey_magic_arrives_with_the_Arctics&in_article_id=724498&in_page_id=25. Retrieved 2009-08-24. 
  10. ^ Tangari, Joe. "Arctic Monkeys: Humbug (Domino; 2009)". Pitchfork Media. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13374-humbug/. Retrieved 2009-08-24. 
  11. ^ Sheffield, Rob. "Humbug: Arctic Monkeys: Review". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/29528240/review/29546488/humbug. Retrieved 2009-08-24. 
  12. ^ "International Album Release Dates". Arctic Monkeys Official Website. 3 June 2009. http://www.arcticmonkeys.com/news.php?id=300. Retrieved 3 June 2009. 
  13. ^ "Arctic Monkeys going 'full on Black Sabbath' for new album". NME. 21 May 2009. http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/44813. Retrieved 3 June 2009. 
  14. ^ "The View From... The Birthday Boy". Arctic Monkeys Official YouTube Channel. 14 May 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAxLbmjnDbA. Retrieved 3 June 2009. 
  15. ^ New Single Announcement
  16. ^ http://recordreview.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/the-black-crowes-reawakened/
  17. ^ http://www.billboard.com/new-releases/arctic-monkeys-humbug-1004003546.story#/new-releases/arctic-monkeys-humbug-1004003546.story
  18. ^ http://recordreview.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/arctic-monkeys-continue-to-beat-criticism/
  19. ^ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13374-humbug/
  20. ^ http://www.spin.com/reviews/arctic-monkeys-humbug-domino
  21. ^ "iTunes page for Humbug (opens in iTunes)". iTunes. 15 July 2009. http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPreorder?id=322826313&s=143444. Retrieved 15 July 2009. 
  22. ^ "Arctic Monkeys New Album!". HMV Japan. 15 July 2009. http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/news/article/907140082/. Retrieved 15 July 2009. 
  23. ^ Suomen virallinen lista
  24. ^ [1]
  25. ^ http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4137566-first-listen--arctic-monkeys-humbug
  26. ^ http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/arctic_monkeys/reviews/13537
  27. ^ http://thequietus.com/articles/02443-arctic-monkeys-humbug-track-by-track-album-review
Preceded by
Ready for the Weekend by Calvin Harris		 UK Albums Chart number-one album
30 August 2009 - 12 September 2009		 Succeeded by
We'll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn by Vera Lynn
v • d • e
Arctic Monkeys
Alex Turner · Matt Helders · Jamie Cook · Nick O'Malley
Andy Nicholson · Glyn Jones
Studio albums
Demos & EPs
Singles
Other songs
Live album
Films
Related articles
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