Arctic Monkeys have joined Radiohead in shock-releasing new material. New single 'Brick by Brick', recorded in LA by James Ford seems to lift the less difficult moment's off 2009's 'Humbug" and paste them smoothly onto the angry guitars of the Sheffield quartet's first two albums.
Unlike Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys have not looked to doomy electronic subculture for influence, but balls-out riff-rock that sits increasingly easily with 'Humbug' collaborator Josh Homme's back catalogue. Indeed, the Kyuss/QOTSA man's influence is plain to see in the wailing 'aaaah-y-aaaah-y-aaaaaahs' of the chorus, as well as the widdly desert-rock guitar lines.
Alex Turner's entreaties to Steal your soul/Brick by brick do not number amongst his finest lyrics, but this is still a pretty good Arctic Monkeys' song, which means a very good song.
