I don't know why I'm admitting this—I hate admitting things like this—but I started listening to Arctic Monkeys because of the hype. I have a soft spot for British music, and when I learned this band was setting records and taking the British music scene by storm I had to know what the fuss was all about.
Whatever You Say I Am, That's What I'm Not didn't get released in the US until some months after it had been a certified smash in the UK, but I was there the day it hit our shores. I listened to the album a number of times and, in the end, felt the hype did more harm than good to their cause. Sure, the hype helped them sell a shitload of records. I bought the record as a result of it. The album, though, didn't live up to the hype. How could it have? It is a good record, not an all-time classic.
As the hype machine began revving up for the release of Favourite Worst Nightmare, I was on the fence but leaned towards not buying it. I discovered that I just didn't listen to Whatever You Say enough and didn't anticipate FWN would be any different. Fortunately for me, some contacts took that decision out of my hands and sent me an advance.
The essential elements of the first record seem to be present on the follow-up disc. There is a hip hop-sensibility to Arctic Monkeys sound. Alex Turner spits his lyrics with that same rapid-fire delivery. I don't know if it's just my ears processing it or some studio trickery, but when he gets going it almost feels like every other word is coming from the left or right side. His cadence and cool are full frenetic effect, and if you listen closely you'll find yourself cracking up at some of the deliciously-delivered one-liners.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
nice review. i'm totally diggin' the record myself. now that you're hooked, it wouldn't surprise me if you find something new to latch onto on that first record.
2 - Josh
I did go back and listen to that first one and still feel the same way. It's fun as a whole, not overly memorable taken individually. I like this new record better than the debut.
3 - Phillip Winn
When performing in public, you'd often hear "don't believe the hype" before they actually started a song. I suspect your enjoyment of the first album was ruined by the hype, perhaps forever. It really is good, but I'm enjoying album #2 as well. And some of the EP releases that haven't made it onto an album for that matter. iTunes has them all.
4 - Josh
You know, the hype probably didn't help but I don't dislike the first album. I can listen to it and get enjoyment from it even if I don't think it's a classic.
I do like this new album, and I have the Who the F*ck Are The Arctic Monkeys EP, which is pretty good.
5 - Connie Phillips
Congrats! This article has been forwarded to the Advance.net websites and Boston.com.