We’ve been holding a special pocket of anticipation in our hearts for the Arctic Monkeys’ third album, Humbug - even before the news broke that Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age would be co-producing it. Once that happened, enthusiasm hit a fever pitch - after all, Josh is the resident torch bearer of all that is rock n' roll these days, having become the King Midas of the L.A. rock scene over the past decade.

Last month, Homme described how the album had shaped up in an interview with GQ, saying that “this is the record where they get weird, grow up and trip out.” His Mojave Desert studio has always sounded like the perfect place for that kind of thing, having been the birthplace of ten editions worth of Desert Sessions over the years.

The songs on Humbug are rarely very straightforward, running through several changes in both tone and tempo as the piece unravels. It's a stark departure from the band’s previous full length albums, though not all of the differences are unprecedented; there are some 60s pop throwback moments on a few tracks such as "Cornerstone," yet the band dabbled with that on the Leave Before The Lights Come On EP. And the Fluorescent Adolescent B-sides could fit right into the new album’s tracklist, with "The Bakery" being a dreamy retro cut, and "Plastic Tramp" laying down a prototypical version of the Halloween vibe that saturates the album. 

When asked about the differences on Humbug, bassist Nick O'Malley said, "There's a bit more musicianship than on the previous two records. The goal this time was to become more of a fluid unit, as far as the music goes, and I think on this third album, there's more of a musical evolvement than on the first two. There's a bit more snake, a bit more leather."

The snake and leather are no strangers to Homme who, in addition to production duties and his role as an undeniable source of the album's general tone and atmosphere, provides backing vocals on several tracks, such as "Potion Approaching" and "Fire And The Thud". 

The pop edge isn't gone, but it takes longer to find that thread. In opener "My Propeller," the big rock n’ roll payoff doesn’t come until two thirds of the way through the song, after a slow, steady build. The second track, lead single "Crying Lightning," is not much different, with the big break coming around the halfway mark. But that’s part of the album’s charm; the climaxes are augmented by thorough foreplay, born out of a desire to paint the picture before getting to the point. 

Easily the most powerful and definitive track on the record is "Pretty Visitors," built around a frantic blast of Turner poetics in the verse and a chugging, "We Are Legion" type of chorus delivery. If this song doesn't kick the hell out of radio in the next month or so, it can only mean that my suspicions are right. 

It defines precisely why the Arctic Monkeys are well worth the hype, particularly after the full Homme treatment: the song is a looming spectacle of both excitement and forewarning. With Humbug, these young Brits have proven that there's a lot more to their story than looking good on the dancefloor. After being taken under the wing of their rock n' roll big brother, the monkeys have learned how to fly.

CraveOnline Rating: 8.5 out of 10