Arctic Monkeys – R U Mine?

The last time the Arctic Monkeys released a ‘non album single’, it was 2006, and the song in question was Leave Before The Lights Come On. It was brilliant. A track that in many ways summed up what the Arctics were as a band and has since gone down as a dictionary definition of sorts for both its era and the type of fanbase the early days of the band attracted.

After mixed efforts on latest Arctic Monkeys album Suck It And See, new single R U Mine – at the moment bereft of any kind of parent album – feels like a energised return to form. It’s not quite the sound of early Arctics born again, but its getting on for it – big, fuzzy guitar riffs and Alex Turner’s vocals possessed of a youthful vigour they haven’t had in ages. Even the curtailed txt-speak of the single’s title feels like a toeing of that adolescent line the band did so well back in the day.

We’re all for evolution of a band’s sound, but it’s always best when they keep a little of what made us love ‘em in the first place – R U Mine strikes out for the best of both worlds.

R U Mine? is available to download on iTunes now.

Arctic Monkeys - Black Treacle

The Arctic Monkeys are a band that fall neatly into two distinct phrases - their first two albums and the era where they were the name on everyone's lips, conquering radio playlists everywhere. And then the two following albums where they arguably made the tricky transition to album artists playing to arenas and still notching up those No. 1-in-the-album chart accolades, but with the vigour and vitality of their early days questionably dampened.

At the break of 2012, the band are yet to score a Top 10 hit since 2007's brilliant Flourescent Adolescent, for me, the last time the band really felt 'on-form'. Still, their latter albums have appeased fans and critics alike as they slowly position themselves as one of the UK's premier live acts, a sort of national treasure for the ages. Arctic Monkeys are without a doubt in it for the long haul, but hearing tracks like new single Black Treacle, you find yourself longing for a return to their hook-heavy early days.

Their musicianship is unquestionable and the levels of production quality and maturity of the Suck It And See tracks is probably the greatest the band have ever operated at, but Black Treacle is the sound of a band releasing a song that sounds like it could just as easily be an album filler-track. The Monkey's last two singles failed to even break the Top 100, a sure sign of changing times, and Black Treacle - for all its authentic dad-rock niceties - shows no signs of being able to stop the slide.

A fundamentally changed band - and one that seem to have left their proper hit-making days behind them in favour for a more adult, more stately market.

Black Treacle is released on the 23rd January.

Suck It And See... not very much as it turns out

When it comes to making a big statement, would it be possible to top Lady Gaga in a week where she appears on the cover of NME magazine in a see-through cat-suit with zips covering her naughty bits?

While perhaps not hitting quite those levels of shock-o-rama, the new Arctic Monkeys album is sure to court controversy - nor because of what's on it (as their debut did because of it featured a man smoking), but because of what's not on it.

It's completely blank. Apart from the rather modestly printed album title, that is.

It reminds me almost of one of those taster-strips you get in DIY stores to help you choose a paint colour for your room. It's that ever so off-white creamy tone.

Of course, the Arctic Monkeys aren't the first band to do something like this. Anyone remember Hard-Fi's 2007 album Once Upon A Time In The West? They went more for the road-sign feel, and personally I prefer their take on 'No Cover Art.' - at least they're big and BOLD about it in this case. And there's proper colour too! That lovely vibrant yellow!

(Speaking of Hard-Fi, they're playing at the Hoxton Bar & Grill on the 12th May - a 'warm up gig' for their forthcoming third album, they describe it as)

Suck It And See is released on June 6th and you can pre-order it here.

A good old Arctic Monkeys / Take That love-in

Do you remember Arctic Monkeys' frontman Alex turner saying some rather rude things about Take That at the Q Awards? He let loose at the band saying they were a 'load of b*llocks'. Now, while that might be anatomically correct what with them being five guys... it's not a very nice thing to say, and is also incorrect as Take That are actually Very Good.

But Turner's done a U-Turn now and in a recent NME interview has professed his love for the 'lads'.

'We love Gary Barlow!' he enthuses. Don't we all! Judging by how pretty much every single one of the dates on Take That's impossibly immense UK stadium tour are already sold out, the whole of the UK seems to love Gary Barlow (and Robbie, and the others...)

'I think I really offended him a few years ago though, which I'm sorry about,' continued Turner. 'I didn't understand it then. Didn't know what was going on, trying to rustle some feathers.'

See, isn't a lovely when bands make up. Now, when are we going to get them all teaming up for a big ensemble version of Never Forget?