A phenomenon or a fad? Love them or hate them? Regardless of what you think of the Arctic Monkeys, credit must be given through what they've achieved in such a short time. Personally, I'm all for them - witty lyrics and catchy rhythms make them people-friendly.
Just over a year ago I heard about the 'buzz' regarding a track called "Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" that was circulating at the speed of light through the Internet. They playing Reading and Leeds festival in 2005 on the Carling stage, the smallest stage at the festival, and although I didn't watch them, just passing the tent when they were on showed at least crowds of 12 to 15 rows deep outside the tent, something that was completely unheard of for the Carling stage. At the time, they had no record label, and no single had been released. Exactly one year on, they were sub-headliners to Muse at the same festival this year, have a platinum-selling album and are conquering America - not bad for a bunch of lads, who just a few years ago couldn't play any instruments.
But is "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" able to be greeted in the same presence as other world-dominating full length debuts over the past couple of decades by British bands such as "Definitely Maybe", "Pablo Honey", "The Stone Roses" or "Parachutes"?? On first impressions, you'd have to say yes. Selling figures state it as being the fastest selling of all-time. The debut single rocketed to the
number 1 spot, as did the follow-up single "When The Sun Goes Down". Also NME, somehow, voted it the 5th greatest British album of all time in January 2006 - staggering!
Opening track "The View From The Afternoon" symbolises the music perfectly. A fairly straight-forward piece of guitar over a fast tempo drumbeat, but what tops it up perfectly is frontman Alex Turner's song writing ability. Listen to the lyrics. Forget the rubbish that some bands come up which, when read, actually make no sense whatsoever. Instead, almost like a breath of fresh air, Turner sings, quite simply, about things that have happened, be it nights down the pub, or trying to pull a girl on the dancefloor…hence the second song on the album…
"I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" may already be as big a cult song as "Wonderwall", "Bitter Sweet Symphony", "Song 2" or "Design For Life" in terms of British bands, and rightly so. The catchy, pacey music with lyrics, that are so simple, yet they seem clever; "I bet that you look good on the dance floor, Dancing to electro-pop like a robot from 1984". For those that say they can't stand them, you may say the vocals could irritate you or it's just a case being one in a long line of predominantly overhyped "NME bands"…but by the looks of it, that's a minority of people.
Next, "Fake Tales Of San Francisco" for some reason wasn't released as a single in the UK, although I believe it will be in the USA. Basically, it's based on a night out, listening to some rather rubbish band, singing, well obviously, about San Francisco. Let me sum it up with one of the verses…"And as the microphone squeaks, A young girl's telephone beeps, Yeah she's dashing for the exit, she's running to the streets outside, "Oh you've saved me," she screams down the line, "The band were f***ing w**k, And I'm not having a nice time." Now, in all honesty, I can read through numerous Coldplay songs and not understand a word what Chris Martin is on about…yet Alex Turner has been so basic here (if a little bit coarse!) to make everyone understand what he's on about, and it fits perfectly to the music.
So it seems rather than buttering up lyrics, making them so simply is the key to his success as a songwriter. A great example of this is in the final track on the album; "A Certain Romance", and what a song to finish on, not a filler like many albums have. One liners such as "There's only music, so that there's new ringtones" and "just cause he's had a couple of cans, He thinks it's alright to act like a d***head" are superb. Yes, I'm lavishing maybe too much praise on the lyrics, but I'm sure you can slightly appreciate it that when read, it can be read like a poem, rather than words that have attempted to fit to music.
Right, I'll try and stop the lyric quotations now…"all that's left is the proof that love's not only blind but deaf" - Fake Tales of San Francisco. (oh go on, I'll do one more!!) So where is the weakness in the album?? Going through the line-up, it's hard to see where. After the first 3 tracks that I've gone over, "Dancing Shoes" follows, and the odd person would say it gets lost ever so slightly after the strength of the opening songs. Not so. "You Probably Couldn't See For The Lights…" may also be lost, but after a couple of listens, this will soon become a favourite of many people's. It's fast tempo is similar to "…Good On The Dancefloor".
After watching them live at this year's Reading Festival, "Still Take You Home" was one of the tracks that impressed me most. Maybe it was the chanting by the crowd of "you don't know nothing" during the chorus. But this has grown on me…yes it's getting harder to critise this album!!
"Riot Van" calms things down somewhat by being a purely slow-tempoed piece of music. If anything you could say this isn't necessary, but it sounds different, which is 'nice' - critics would say up until now the album has been "samey", for use of a better word.
Two special mentions must go to songs on the album "Mardy Bum" and "When The Sun Goes Down" - the latter being the second number one off the album. The former, when performed live, was purely chanted by the chorus, with Turner merely just skimming his voice over the top. It's become another cult song by the band for their fans, and a must have for people who want to get into the band. As already mentioned, the former of these two tracks gave the band their second number 1 single. Basically, without trying to dig into it too much, it's about a prostitute and a 'gentleman caller'. The lyrics to the quiet, mellow opening are so dark, yet so good. Again, if you know nothing by the band…download this!
Their music is for the masses, by a group of lads who just sing about what they know…going out at the weekend, trying to pull the ladies and drinking to excess…
"Everybody's trying to crack the jokes and that to make you smile Those that claim that they're not showing off are drowning in denial They're not half as bad as me say anything and I'll agree When it comes to acting up, I'm sure I could write the book" - "You Probably Couldn't See For The Lights…"
Will the 'buzz' around them continue?? How can it?? Well, they seem like a bunch of lads with their heads screwed on properly. Here's to hoping they carry on with what they're doing best…writing good music that many people can enjoy. Feel free to pick it up off Amazon for £7.99 and join the brigade of fans. These guys will be bigger than big. It's just that there's not a word to describe it yet. Good on 'em I say, good on 'em.
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Hot on the heels of their shock No.1 single "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor", ... more
Whatever People Say I Am, Thats What Im Not confirms Sheffields Arctic Monkeys as the UK undergrounds most proselytising young preachers of the DIY gospel. Marrying ne...
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Advantages: The music is quite fun to listen to, great to dance along to. Disadvantages: A couple of filler tracks included here, very dodgy lyrics in parts.
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