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July 6, 2009

New Arctic Monkeys - "Crying Lightning"

thumbnail icon: New Arctic Monkeys - "Crying Lightning"

Longstanding Diddy buddies Arctic Monkeys have long been working on the followup to their Favourite Worst Nightmare with lead stone aged Queen Josh Homme. Songs have made it into their setlists -- this song in particular -- but today the band debuted the studio version of "Crying Lightning" from their forthcoming Homme-fied Humbug on BBC's Zane Lowe show. It's on the darker side of the Arctic spectrum, a sort of noir rocker that patiently builds where the younger lads would have stormed, and a promising look at the band's third LP.

Thanks for the tip, Will. Humbug is out 8/25 via Domino. Preorder at the band's site, check the dates:

08/01 - Liberty State Park (All Points West)
08/02 - Montreal, Canada (Osheaga Festival)
08/02 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
08/05 - Boston, MA @ Paradise
08/07 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
08/08 - Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/28 - Leeds Festival
08/29 - Reading Festival

Posted at 4:42 PM by amrit
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26 Comments

sounds definitely like a little darker side of the arctic monkeys, glad they're switching things up a bit with each album.

Posted by: ohs at 07/06/09 5:16 PM | Reply
Score = 13 Vote up Vote down

hehe. you'd think pple would eventually learn on here. promising track. too bad the clip cuts short during that build up

Posted by: rob z in reply to ohs's comment at 07/06/09 5:21 PM | Reply
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Yeah, it's a pleasant enough song. I'm a huge Monkeys fan, but this feels a bit limp. It doesn't go anywhere (and just as it seems like it might be, it cuts off).

Hopefully the album will be better.

Posted by: Brian at 07/06/09 5:50 PM | Reply
Score = -1 Vote up Vote down

Sounds like the energy's a bit gone from the Arctic Monkeys. Catchy, but not memorable.

Posted by: Bob M. at 07/06/09 6:02 PM | Reply
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Do you guys just lie awake at night and think of ways to link these articles to your other articles?

Posted by: HoopaJoop profile link at 07/06/09 6:17 PM | Reply
Score = 23 Vote up Vote down

Nice sound. I'm glad they're not making the same album again. "Favourite Worst Nightmare" was an evolution of "Whatever...", but if they had done that same style again I would have started to question whether they were a one-trick pony or not.

As it is, this song reminds me of "If You Were There, Beware" off FWN, and that's a good thing in my book.

And c'mon...Josh Homme? Guy's the man.

Posted by: cpb at 07/06/09 6:20 PM | Reply
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This sounds about like I expected it to. Alex Turner's voice sounds a lot better here than on previous stuff. He sounds more grown up.

Posted by: wingedgopher at 07/06/09 6:42 PM | Reply
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BONA_FIDE

It's heavy, it's dark, I like it. It is slightly less catchy than past songs but the sound is definitely more powerful. Hopefully this is good for the rest of the album and keeps us entertained.

Posted by: BONA_FIDE profile link at 07/06/09 7:44 PM | Reply
Score = 6 Vote up Vote down
SubSickAlien

It sounds like they are branching out a bit on this song. The reason why I think it cuts off might be because it segues straight into another song from the album.

On a side note: I can't stop staring at the EP cover :D

Posted by: SubSickAlien profile link at 07/06/09 8:22 PM | Reply
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Masters of Reality Pt. II ?

Posted by: Capt. Colours at 07/06/09 8:34 PM | Reply
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I'm glad that they didnt rip off u-2 or springsteen, and none of the new lyrics include the words "sex" or "fire".

Posted by: JAck at 07/06/09 9:39 PM | Reply
Score = 25 Vote up Vote down
grover

it's slow and drags a bit but it's still consistent sound-wise with all their other material

plus i know there'll be a few songs from the album that will rock my balls, even if this one doesn't

Posted by: grover profile link at 07/06/09 10:04 PM | Reply
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nice lyrics but the main guitar riff is just...awful

Posted by: pablo at 07/07/09 2:20 AM | Reply
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Why does Alex sound like he's doing an impression of Josh Homme?
Why do all the guitars sound like they were played by Josh Homme?
Why does it sound like a Lullabies to Paralyze cast-off?

A little too much Homme, a little too less Monkeys IMHO.

Posted by: mr_chopper at 07/07/09 5:15 AM | Reply
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RonaldSays

I like it. I think you still can hear that Arctic Monkeys sound. It's true that you hear Homme's influences of course. It could be worse. It could've been Timbalake...

Posted by: RonaldSays profile link at 07/07/09 9:40 AM | Reply
Score = 7 Vote up Vote down

Guitars sounded a lot like the Coral to me until later in the song -- then it was recognizably Arctic Monkeys. I'm excited to hear the record because I think Homme, at the very least, will have probably pushed them to think a little outside the box. good tune.

Posted by: nick at 07/07/09 11:01 AM | Reply
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What this sounds like is Mclusky.

Posted by: Paul Ramon at 07/07/09 11:07 AM | Reply
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I'm giving this a thumbs up and will be eagerly awaiting the new album!

Posted by: d33r profile link at 07/07/09 5:35 PM | Reply
Score = 3 Vote up Vote down

I think it sounds great and lends itself well to an explosive live performance. I look forward to seeing them at All Points West and the Highline Ballroom.

Posted by: Joe at 07/07/09 8:17 PM | Reply
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i wonder if they caught the drones while they were touring together on the big day out in january...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsahEX4vA9k

awfully similar...

Posted by: simon at 07/07/09 10:11 PM | Reply
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i agree terribly with mr_chopper.
older monkeys, sure, grown up yea blah blah
i think they got a bad case of the Homme.

Posted by: SymphonyInC profile link at 07/08/09 4:35 PM | Reply
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Hey just checked the August calender on Highline Ballroom's website but they're not listed. What's up with that? Can someone clear the confusion for me? Thanks

Posted by: Dony at 07/09/09 7:29 PM | Reply
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Why's everyone hatin' on new Arctic Monkeys? It sounds fucking fantastic. My ears and I are weeping from sheer unfiltered joy and pleasure right now.

Posted by: Patrick O'Mally at 07/12/09 1:08 AM | Reply
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You know I always wanted to like the Arctic Monkeys, (Alex Turner's a hell of a wordsmikth) and if the whole album's like this I think I will.

Posted by: mitchell at 07/12/09 9:20 AM | Reply
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oh yeah, I can feel the Queens of the Stone Age influence, what did you guys do to our boys?!!!

Posted by: Joker's Lady at 07/13/09 7:24 PM | Reply
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don't tell me they are going to do a Franz Ferdinand on us?!

Posted by: Loz B at 07/16/09 10:09 AM | Reply
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