Arctic Monkeys : 'Cornerstone'
Released: 16th November 2009
Label: Domino Records
Crooning vocals, jangling guitar, and a song delved from a beautifully crafted story line epitomises any description of 'Cornerstone'. Before you ask, no, it is not a new Morrissey track, but one from Arctic Monkeys seemingly self-revolutionary new album, Humbug.
After all the discussion about how their sound has been drastically altered, (I still love the music, it’s just that they have changed) and whether they’re still Britain’s most loved Indie band, it’s time to get back to basics. Now that the dust has settled over the initial shock of how creatively weird, yet still absolutely fantastic Humbug was, each track can be dissected with a clear mind.
'Cornerstone', set to be released on November 16 through Oxfam, is the second single from their third LP. Tingling Smiths-like guitar, a pondering bassline and the usual steady, reliable drumming from Matt Helders is evident in this gem of a track. The song, telling a fascinating tale of a forlorn soul desperately searching for his lost lover, is lyrically brilliant, delivered in beauty through Alex Turners crooning vocals.
The character appears to be seeing women who are of similar appearance to the lady who holds his heart, opening the song with the line: “I thought I saw you in the battleship, but it was only a look-a-like, she was nothing but a vision trick”.
However, no doubt the best part within this three minute marvel is Turners description of his taxi ride home. “I elongated my lift home, I let him go the long way round, I smelt your scent on the seatbelt, and kept my shortcuts to myself”. Such fantastic lyrics that relate to everyday life provide a vision of sheer heartbreak, desperate to recapture a lost former flame. Upon hearing these lyrics for the first time, it was clear that the front man had developed into a world-class song writer.
The keyboard melodies provided by John Ashton add an extra dimension to the song, whilst the short, intricate riffs scattered amongst the track are of pure genius, complimenting the lyrics to perfection.
The video to this track is also an absolute cracker. Featuring Turner on his own with a tape recorder against a white background, it features the front man singing towards the camera. Every so often he acts out a particular lyric, much to my amusement. Cringe-worthy, yet genius, it harks back to the good old days when he didn’t look so unhappy to be around, clearly showing he still has that dry-witted humour. A great song, accompanied by an original video, 'Cornerstone' highlights another aspect of Arctic Monkeys musical talent.
7/10
Words: Alex Read
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Reply #1 on : Sat December 04, 2010, 08:54:07