The Details

Arctic Monkeys

Suck It and See

The Arctic Monkeys stormed the U.K. music scene just as The Libertines were disbanding and quickly became the quick-witted kings of Brit-rock behind scathing early hits “Fake Tales of San Francisco” and “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor.” Now it seems upstarts like The Vaccines and Yuck have stolen the Monkeys’ thunder. Fourth album Suck It and See lacks much of the band’s early attitude and post-punky riffs. Songs such as “That’s Where You’re Wrong,” “Love Is a Laserquest” and “Piledriver Waltz” are indistinct and forgettable, filled with soft-glow, girl-groupy signifiers and languishing tempos, while vocalist Alex Turner’s lounge-leader croon often feels generic and overly schmaltzy. The best moments—the stoner-fuzzed “All My Own Stunts,” the garage stomp “Library Pictures” and roadhouse-blues barnstorm “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair”—brim with confidence and memorable melodies. Too bad there aren’t more like them in Monkeyland anymore.