3. Cornerstone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1h2_TygQYM Artist: Arctic Monkeys Album: 'Humbug' Year: 2009 Best lyric: "Tell me where's your hiding place / I'm worried I'll forget your face / And I've asked everyone / And I'm beginning to think I imagined you all along." And if there's one thing most Arctic Monkeys fans can agree on re: 'Humbug', it's that 'Cornerstone' is the highlight of the record. The imagery of the album is perhaps still the best of Alex's young career, and 'Cornerstone' is an aptly-titled pillar of the long-haired era. The song paints itself in a quaint little town of badly-named pubs, drawn-out cab rides home and girls that will write on wet walls with felt-tip pens just to turn you down, but it's loneliness personified. The lyrics are both touching and poignant, but also straight-facedly funny, and four years later, no one's found a better metaphor for having a cigarette than "Messing with the smoke alarm." Musically, it swivels from side to side, as the melody flutters in search of the missing girl: it's a simply breathtaking composition, and probably Alex's best "ballady one". 2. Do Me A Favour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7aOa6hE51g Artist: Arctic Monkeys Album: 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' Year: 2007 Best lyric: "Well, the morning was complete / And there was tears on the steering wheel, dripping on the seat." 'Do Me A Favour' was written by a 20-year-old. Yes, really. And it's a strange beast in that it showcases brilliantly contrasting facets of Turner. It's a cross between a crestfallen narrator, mourning the state of his break-up, and the guitar-wielding boy who's not quite over it, wanting to let the anger out of his system. It's both intricate in its bass and guitar hooks and simple in that it only glides across a few chords. And it's a gentle, simple song, and yet it's roof-raising towards the end; the surge of distortion is a typical Monkeys trick, but to play that card quite so soon after Alex's wistful almost-acappella section is the sign of a fearless band in full control of their sound. 'Do Me A Favour' is the definition of slow-burning. It's moody and majestic, and it's wonderfully unleashed. A brilliant highlight of a brilliant record.