Despite how it may sound, the title is actually not as dirty as you may think. The Monkeys undoubtedly chose this title to play with the minds of their American fans; in British English “suck it and see,” loosely translates to “give it a try,” in American English (I’m personally curious as to the origin of such a phrase, but that’s just me). All innuendo aside, with Suck It and See, the Arctic Monkeys return for their fourth full length studio album, somewhat of a return to form from their previous release Humbug. Gone is Josh Homme as a producer, as is the rougher sound he helped the Arctic Monkeys to cultivate on Humbug. Instead, we get a record that is often lighter and certainly poppier, but they have retained the chops they’ve gained over the years. Alex Turner’s vocals are spot on and Matt Helder’s drumming is as aggressive as ever.
The album features a fair of amount of love songs, or at least songs about love, as well as some more ambiguous tracks. The single “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair,” certainly falls into the latter group. One of the album’s heavier tracks, it features rocking drums and some growling bass akin to Queens of the Stone Age matched up against some of Turner’s most precise vocals. Songs such as “Black Treacle” are infectious, combining straining guitars and a walking bass line. “Love Is a Laserquest,” starts out with a drum beat that recalls Starfucker’s “Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second,” (or maybe I’ve just seen that damned Target commercial too many times) and quickly evolves into a thoughtful love ballad. It features some of the album’s most directly accessible lyrics: “And do you still think love is a laserquest/ Or do you take it all more seriously/ I’ve tried to ask you this in some daydreams that I’ve had/ But you’re always busy being make-believe,” which help paint a picture of an unrequited love. Not every song has such lyrical aptitude. “Brick by Brick,” for instance, with over half the lyrics being “brick by brick,” didn’t really do much for me. By and large, this is a very solid album that somewhat recaptures the essence of what made Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not so popular, but often with more refined musicianship.
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