Has Turner's can of Dandelion and Burdock fizzed out?

When Arctic Monkeys burst out of Yorkshire in the summer of 2005, they were almost seen as a resurrection of the ‘angry young men’. Turner's notebook depicting his teenage years of drinking in pubs and getting thrown out of clubs could have been pulled straight out of the pages of ‘Billy Liar’. Ever since, they have seemed to be the band that strikes an armistice between the extremities of the music spectrum. If it’s the kind that won’t listen to anything without a reference to 'Dubliners' or the majority that won’t listen to anything outside of the top forty.

They all seem to treat this band as the best thing since a loaf of Warburton's. The band that’s persona apparently relied entirely on not craving fame had their hit being played at weddings, with kids sliding on their knees.

Although recently, they seem to have become moulded as easily as 'play-doh' into the type of band that they once provided the antidote for?

Don’t get me wrong, I think ‘Humbug’ with the second half of‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’ is their most credible work to date. ‘Humbug’ sustained Turner’s style of humouring British culture picking up its bag of ‘Pick n Mix’from the local Newsagents. Whilst carrying psychedelic riffs triggered by their work with Josh Homme. It could be the case that their recent work is them indulging their dreams of creating a catalogue embedded with northern wit and transatlantic riffs. Rather than just being a John Cooper Clarke support act. But it does initiate an argument of, which building yard did ‘Brick by Brick’ stem from?

 ‘Suck it and See’ inhibits some cracking lyrics. I’ll give it Turner; he does have a way with words. But the style, look and everything else just sounds like it belongs in a CD player of an adolescent girl's bedroom. Is Arielle Vandenberg to blame? Did Alex’s ‘bird’ decide to Americanise them, with some tragic leather jackets from the bloopers of 'Easy Rider'? Sorry Alex but Arielle can’t take the hit. Most of 'Suck it and See' was recorded during your blissful era with British sweetheart Alexa.


The truth is in my eyes is that their re-invention is just a brilliant marketing trick by the band or Domino. A change of image earns themselves an American following entwined with keeping their British fanbase. Although it’s nothing new and will be done again. Bowie being the most obvious example with his transformation from a lad with a clean-cut haircut to Ziggy Stardust.

But, is this an excuse for not providing the excitement that a lot of the British population once felt for them? Some could argue that it's still there; they were exposed as the highest faculties of British talent in the Olympics opening ceremony. Maybe I'm just being selfish at the fact that I can't be blown away by Alex's sheer wit any longer. If it's in the form of a B-Side in ‘Bigger Boys and Stolen Sweethearts' or him declaring that the 'only road's a cul-de-sac' when you hold sexual frustration with an attractive acquaintance.

But Alex, you do hold an opportunity to have me completely sold again. Mould together another Humbug with Josh Homme. Or pick up your VHS of ‘Kes’ and ‘When Saturday Comes’, your Adidas hoodie and become the bard of High Green, once again.