Arctic Monkeys
Suck it and See
Genre: Alternative Rock
Grade: B+
For fans of: Oasis, Arcade Fire, Lily Allen

Editor's Note: Listen to tracks from Suck It and See on Soundcloud

The funny thing about the Arctic Monkeys’ rise to fame five years ago was that it was followed up by neither spectacular legendary status success nor crash-and-burn failure.

Instead, the band continued to produce albums filled with consistent, nothing-more, nothing-less songs. Despite its combative name, their fourth album, Suck it and See, fits the mold, bridging the gap between their morose third album Humbug and hyper first two albums.

There's nothing wrong with average when the songs are as perfectly crafted as they are on Suck it and See. On the single “Don’t Sit Down 'Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair,” the guitars charge sinisterly and the drums clang ominously before the harmonized “ohs” give the song a gentle push. It’s a loose song that sounds effortless because of the amount of effort put into it.

Lead singer Alex Turner still has his lyrical sharpness. He captures a romantic tenderness and wit on “She’s Thunderstorms,” describing his attraction to a girl (“Her motorcycle boots give me this kind of acrobatic blood concertina/Cheating heartbeat, rapid fire).

Suck It and See shows the Arctic Monkeys have a long life ahead of them, and for those who want proof, just look at the album’s title.