Arctic Monkeys... swing and swagger

The Monkeys' new album, Humbug, oozes with the confidence, swagger and strut of young men aware of their limitless sexuality. No longer teenage boys, posing and pretending in an attempt to stake their claim, these lads have clearly been there, picked up the t-shirt, and now sport it proudly. This is the age when you can do anything, when a fit and healthy young man with the world at his feet cannot help but feel invincible and immortal.

With a generally slower pace, much of the album feels like the best kind of mid-60's bandstand-dancehall rock 'n roll . The guitars twang and chime like the Shadows. The heavily reverbed drums inspire notions of Ringo, or Moon. There's a knowing, adult mod attitude everywhere, and a respectful, genuine homage to Walker and Spector runs through the whole. With echoes of Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Tom Jones and Humpledink - there's nothing quite like this around today, though they'd probably feel some kind of kinship with Weezer.

Humbug is an unwashed, sweat and semen and beer stained monster of an album - squaring up as the answer to Kings of Leon's Only By The Night from this side of the ditch... and for my money taking the honours by a head.

With Turner's writing as catchy as ever, his trademark wry lyrics deft and engaging, the album is also fun and exciting... the sound of a band on the verge of superstardom. Expect it to be collossal. This is a world-breaker, but with the next album I fully expect a genuine masterpiece.