Breathless, hyperbolic praise was piled upon the Arctic Monkeys and their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, an instant phenomenon without peer. Within the course of a year, the band rose from the ranks of an internet phenomenon to the biggest band in the U.K., all on the strength of early demos circulated on the web as MP3s. Those demos built the band a rabid fan base before the Monkeys had released a record, even before they played more than a handful of gigs. In effect, the group performed a complete run around the industry, avoiding conventional routes toward stardom, which paid off in spades. When Whatever People Say I Am hit the streets in January 2006, it sold a gob-smacking 118,501 copies within its first week of release, which not only made it the fastest-selling debut ever, but it sold more than the rest of the Top 20 combined -- a remarkable achievement by any measure.
Last time such excitement surrounded a new British guitar band it was a decade earlier, as Brit-pop hit overdrive with the release of Oasis' 1994 debut, Definitely Maybe. All four members of the Arctic Monkeys were a little bit shy of their tenth birthday at the time, a bit young to be sure, but old enough to have Oasis be their first favorite band. So, it's little surprise that the Gallaghers' laddism -- celebrating nights out fueled by lager and loud guitars -- is the bedrock foundation of the Arctic Monkeys, just the way as it has been for most British ock bands since the mid-'90s, but the Monkeys' true musical ground zero is 2001, the year the Strokes stormed British consciousness with their debut, Is This It. The Arctic Monkeys borrow heavily from the Strokes' stylized ennui, adding an equal element of the Libertines' shambolic neo-classicist punk, undercut by a hint of dance-punk learned from Franz Ferdinand. But where the Strokes, the Libertines, and Franz all knowingly reference the past, this Sheffield quartet is concerned with the now, piecing together elements of their favorite bands as lead singer/songwriter Alex Turner tells stories from their lives -- mainly hookups on the dancefloor and underage drinking, balanced by the occasional imagined tragic tales of prostitution and the music industry.
Whatever People Say I Am captures the band mashing up the Strokes and the Libertines at will, jamming angular riffs into a small space and tearing through the songs. But where the Strokes camouflaged their songwriting skills with a laconic, take-it-or-leave-it sexiness and where the Libertines mythologized England with a junkie poeticism, the Arctic Monkeys at their heart are simple, everyday lads. The dry production, sounding for all the world like an homage to Is This It -- all clanking guitars and clattering drums, with most of the energy coming from the group's call-and-response backing vocals -- keeps things rather earthbound.
In a way, Whatever People Say I Am is an ideal album for the Information Overload Age -- nearly every track here is overloaded with riffs and words, and just when it's about to sort itself out, it stops short. The band winds up with a patchwork of common sounds, stitched together in ways that may have odd juxtapositions, but usually feel familiar. One thing that sets them apart, and really gives them promise, is Alex Turner's writerly ambition. While he may fall far short of fellow Sheffield lyricist Jarvis Cocker, or such past teenage renegades as Paul Weller, Turner does illustrate ample ambition here. While his words can be overcooked -- allusions to Romeo & Juliet do not necessarily count as depth -- he does tell stories, which distinguishes him from his first-person peers. His fondness for detail, his sense of place are the qualities that make his work resonate for thousands of young Britons.
Is this the first time this has happened?radio1 will be presenting four of the greatest albums of all time - works of genius; albums that have made an indelible mark on the musical landscape. As well as interviews and documentary material, Zane will play each album in full, gaps an' all, with no interruptions, so you can hear the masterpiece as it's meant to be heard.So which 4 albums?...
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I live such a glamorous life that I think I'm going to become a social diarist! See what you think of my first diary entry!"Up rolls a riot van and sparks excitement in the boys"!http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2332/1559840943_7a72869f90.jpg?v=0!"...but the [security] men look annoyed"!http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2143/1559821921_aca8308b60.jpg?v=0!"...perhaps these are ones they should avoid"...
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Saw this and thought some of you moggers might like it.Alex Turner told NME.com the band wanted to use a real work of art for the cover. He said: "We wanted to do something physical, like do something real with the artwork. We got all these illustrators, played them some tunes and that and got them to draw bits of stuff, bits of things that we liked and stuff. "The idea was to get a house or a ...
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So there I was, travelling through Sheffield, when this song came on. It was unbelievable how well it describes the city.So, can you think of any songs that totally describe where you are or where you've been?oh and this one's dedicated to Stevie Mac.
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Let the random posting to put it back a page commence!
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...to start 2007 with the big thing of '06. plus how great is the line "You're not from New York City, You're from Rotherham"?
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So, I already did the 2nd half list, now time for the second half.Apparently, I just listened to music from 2005. In other words, don't expect a top 10. Just a top 5, because I wasn't as exposed as possible to newer or indie-r stuff. 5.Matisyahu-YouthRemember Matisyahu? This was good, I enjoyed listening to it, etc. Not that remarkable, though.4.The Strokes-First Impressions of EarthI had writt...
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Hi, folks!Starting today, I'm going to (try to) add my favorite lyric of the week to the page. I encourage everyone to try it if you haven't already. Enjoy!This photo has nothing to do with this post.
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When the Arctic Monkeys first came out, everyone got addicted to their fresh sound. The way they mixed pop, with indie, with bursts of British flavour was so addictive that everyone was loving them. Now that they've had 5 releases, you don't hear much of them. But there's fans like me who stand strong by AM anticipating when their next CD will come out. Stand by them, they're going to keep up t...
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I know this is probably old news to most mogsters, but the Arctic Monkeys are awesome. I got tired of reading all the references to looking good on the dancefloor (thanks anna ;) and decided to finally check them out.I love how fast and unapologetic the music is. It's punk-ish without making me want to break things, more like just get up and dance.This is especially helpful considering that ...
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I would like to discuss the awesomeness of the Arctic Monkeys.
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I got the follwoing MOGmail early last week.Hi ya Dale,Im a newbie round here and have just been reading your comments on Arctic Monkeys 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' so thought id say hello and pose a questions or 2 if I may.Firstly, how do you rate the first album in comparison?Secondly, Ive only just got back into band music and was wondering if you can you recommend any bands with a similar s...
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Saw this and thought some of you moggers might like it.Alex Turner told NME.com the band wanted to use a real work of art for the cover. He said: "We wanted to do something physical, like do something real with the artwork. We got all these illustrators, played them some tunes and that and got them to draw bits of stuff, bits of things that we liked and stuff. "The idea was to get a house or a ...
More >
Is this the first time this has happened?radio1 will be presenting four of the greatest albums of all time - works of genius; albums that have made an indelible mark on the musical landscape. As well as interviews and documentary material, Zane will play each album in full, gaps an' all, with no interruptions, so you can hear the masterpiece as it's meant to be heard.So which 4 albums?...
More >
...and Blair has had this song in his head all day...and he apparently refers to himself in the third person now!Enjoy!
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I live such a glamorous life that I think I'm going to become a social diarist! See what you think of my first diary entry!"Up rolls a riot van and sparks excitement in the boys"!http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2332/1559840943_7a72869f90.jpg?v=0!"...but the [security] men look annoyed"!http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2143/1559821921_aca8308b60.jpg?v=0!"...perhaps these are ones they should avoid"...
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There's been a few posts on Glastonbury, and Mackenzie has a comprehensive "post.":http://mog.com/Mackenzie_P/blog_post/88938 While it was fun to watch Lily Allen with two Specials and Amy and Calvin and John Fogerty doing their things, and The Killers looking Elvisly brilliant, for me the highlight was the Arctic Monkeys. Some records take awhile to sink in and while I've always liked them, su...
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So there I was, travelling through Sheffield, when this song came on. It was unbelievable how well it describes the city.So, can you think of any songs that totally describe where you are or where you've been?oh and this one's dedicated to Stevie Mac.
More >
Let the random posting to put it back a page commence!
More >
...to start 2007 with the big thing of '06. plus how great is the line "You're not from New York City, You're from Rotherham"?
More >
From IrelandOn-Line British people believe the UK music charts have lost credibility and reflect the marketing power behind overhyped artists rather than the nation’s musical tastes, a poll has found.Almost three quarters (74%) of British people believe the importance of the UK music charts has diminished in recent years.Almost half (40%) believe the “stars” of shows like the X Factor lack r
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So, I already did the 2nd half list, now time for the second half.Apparently, I just listened to music from 2005. In other words, don't expect a top 10. Just a top 5, because I wasn't as exposed as possible to newer or indie-r stuff. 5.Matisyahu-YouthRemember Matisyahu? This was good, I enjoyed listening to it, etc. Not that remarkable, though.4.The Strokes-First Impressions of EarthI had writt...
More >
Cpunks,As all you know completes you, there may be a band out there that helps define you. There is a band that retrofits you in a younger sleeve and calls upon memories of when The Clash or Social Distortion first made a splash in the music pool. That band is Arctic Monkeys. I just enjoyed their live set; and although sparse on material, they rocked what they knew and they were incredible doin...
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Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys has a new album out under the name The Last Shadow Puppets. The album is called The Age Of The Understatement, which has to be ironic.It sounds like Arctic Monkeys with strings and horns. If you like Arctic Monkeys and melodratic cinema scores circa 1968-1974, you will like The Last Shadow Puppets.
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I know this is probably old news to most mogsters, but the Arctic Monkeys are awesome. I got tired of reading all the references to looking good on the dancefloor (thanks anna ;) and decided to finally check them out.I love how fast and unapologetic the music is. It's punk-ish without making me want to break things, more like just get up and dance.This is especially helpful considering that ...
More >
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