The Sheffield Scenester

The Arctic Monkeys are back with a brand new album, Suck It And See, produced yet again by Simian Mobile Disco member James Ford.

Ford has produced the the last two monkeys albums, 2007's Favourite Worst Nightmare and 2009's Humbug.

Having chosen a rather minimal design for their new album cover, the Monkeys have lost none of their trademark wit and venom, in the "where it counts dept".

Drummer Matt Helders and bassist Nick O'Malley provide a firm anchor for Jamie Cook and Alex Turner to wreak havoc with melodies and twisting soaring vocals, interspersed with reverb soaked distortion, and a fair bit of string bending.

The whole album reeks of a progression which is natural and in no way forced or false.

Tracks such as the opener,"Shes Thunderstorms"Alex Turners vocals softly sang, swinging back and forth to a stroll along bass line, and a gunshot snare.

Then theres the footstomping "Brick By Brick"with its 70's feel heavy guitar riffs and chanting vocals, a slight slant to other tracks off the album.

Or the raw heavy twisting "Dont Sit Down Cos I've Moved Your Chair"a track which the devil himself could have penned.

My personal favourite has to be the closing track,"Thats Where Your Wrong" a mix of the Bunnymen meets New Order meets the Arctic Monkeys! Turners vocals are calm and soothing, it leaves you wanting more.

More from a band that took the whole world by storm back in 2005, a band that was formed in a leafy Sheffield suburb called High Green, back in 2002. A band which has probably.....just probably recorded its best material to date.

Words by Vincent Cocker.