The guitars in particular have a snapping, reverberant desert/surf tone that fuels the band’s descent into night. Part of this looseness can be credited to producer Josh Homme, who brings out the darkness that often underlies Alex Turner’s songwriting. It’s their loosest record yet by far, following on the heels of the hyperaggressive Favourite Worst Nightmare, which at times was wound so tight it felt like it might collapse from a heart attack on the next chord change.
Humbug, the band’s third album, breaks ground in a few directions for the Arctics.
