With “Cornerstone,” Alex Turner turned in what are likely his best vocal performance and lyrics yet. It’s also the songwriter playing perhaps his most unsympathetic character — approaching new girls begging to call them his ex’s name, finally finding someone willing to comply in his ex’s sister — and delivering it with a voice and melody that make him sound like a wounded puppy with no choice but to find his last love’s doppelganger to fuck. It is love, after all, or at least he’s doing a decent job of convincing us that’s how love is for three minutes. And yes, the rest of the band is on point filling out the swoony backdrop, but this one is all about Alex, and director Richard Ayoade knows it. So we get what looks like a fan video, or maybe a YouTube valentine, as Alex lipdubs himself acting out lines about wet walls with doe eyes while letting you know he’s screwing your sister now.
It’s a far cry from what Richard did with “Crying Lightning,” eh.
Humbug is out via Domino. “Cornerstone” is being released as a 10″ with some new b-sides (“Catapult,” “Sketchead” and “Fright Lined Dining Room”), digitally on 11/17, physically on 12/8. Pre-order it here. You can watch a live take on this song from their performance on Ferguson. Or you can see them live at these dates:
12/06 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre*
12/07 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre *
12/08 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
12/11 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 *
12/13 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues *
12/14 – Montreal, CA @ Metropolis
After their mega-performance at Lollapalooza, you should.
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Looks like White Album George…
Looks like a ponce…
Too late Dude…’Pork and Beans.’ Unoriginal Hipster Strikes Out Again!
i’m diggin it, maybe it’s just the song itself though. it’s a great album
You think he looks in the mirror when he jerks it?
Took me a little while, but this song is growing on me a lot. This incredibly charming video can only help!
As an unrelated side note, I have a red version of those headphones. They are alright. Bought them on sale and wouldn’t recommend anyone to pay more than $40 bucks (pushing it here!) for them.
MONG!
Fun fact: a “cornerstone” is someone who can only have good sex when they are stoned. The more you know!
Oh, I’ll just come right out and say it: Alex Turner is an awful, contrived lyricist.
I’d be happy to debate Drunk Jew’s assertions if he backed them up with any meaningful criticism. Why are Turner’s lyrics awful and contrived?
Here’s what I think is the matter with his lyrics (this is just my opinion.) He emulates Costello in his put-downs, but he is unable to make his characters emblamatic of the social class they represent; rather he is more like an amateur rapper in his lyrics.
Mr. Turner is about as un-awful a lyricist and songwriter I can think of at the moment. You can’t be serious. Great album.