Formed in 2002, The Arctic Monkeys from Sheffield England came Mardy bum rushing out of the rock gates with their second single, "I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor," securing their place with critics and rock fans alike as the next HUGE thing.

The fickle UK press, I think, actually puts more pressure on UK bands. In my humble opinion they have more than lived up to the hype.

Singer/guitarist Alex Turner combines the sexiest combination of being both a rocker and a sensitive lad who wears his heart on his sleeve:smart lyrics, slightly surreal at times though always seeming to be based on personal experience.

Humbug, the band's third album, was recorded at Rancho De Luna in Joshua Tree and was produced by Queens of the Stone Age /Eagles of Death Metal's Josh Homme.

Cynics see their prolific tendency to put out material on the heels of other newly released material and side projects as money grubbing. The band has always countered that they make music not to make money but to avoid boredom.

The first single from Humbug "Crying Lightning" — with its gut rattling bass lines and squinky guitars — still maintains the promise that life may feel crummy but you can still have a laugh, and maybe even dance while you're at it.

Many of the tunes still capture Turner's unique take of broken heart on a bender, which he has practically mastered at the tender age of twenty one.

Wrapping it up in a pop song can be tricky, but these dudes make it seem as easy as falling off a pub stool.The final track, "Potion Approaching," features a dirty glam riff, sporadic handclaps, and even falsetto.

It's maybe the closest track to have the scent of Josh Homme. Hoo Wa!

The Kill's/ Dead Weather's Alison Mosshart appears on the track "Fire and Thud," which potentially could've been an explosive pairing but feels a little meandering. A few other tunes spend a little too much time drinking at the Bleak and Brood Buffet.

Overall I'll give them a pass as who can possibly expect them to regurgitate the pop perfection of "Fluorescent Adolescent" with each new studio purging. Humbug is slightly uneven given to a few clunky missteps.

That said, the band is one of the more exciting live acts in recent memory. Whatever it is The Arctic Monkeys are selling I'll take two.