This issue’s band is generating the biggest stir in the United Kingdom since The Beatles, and for good reason. The Arctic Monkeys do not play overly complex music, but it sounds awesome. Very similar to The Clash, Franz Ferdinand, and Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys has already had two number one hits in the UK. Their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, is the fastest-selling debut album of all-time. Arctic Monkeys jam hard; don’t expect too many mellow songs, but cool guitar riffs and
The album starts off with a not-so-great song, “The View From the Afternoon”. It’s not necessarily bad, but pretty much every other song on this CD is better. The next song, “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor”, was their first big hit. This would be a great song to dance to, and has a great guitar part in the beginning.
“Fake Tales of San Fransisco” has a nice beat to it. There is one line of the song I really like, and I don’t know why I do so much, but the line says, “and all that’s left is the proof that love’s not only blind but deaf.”
“Dancing Shoes” is a solid song, but like many of the other songs on Whatever People Say, is on the short side; the song is under two and a half minutes long. “You Probably Couldn’t See For the Lights But You Were Staring Straight at Me” is mediocre, give it a listen, I don’t think it’s all that great.
“Still Take You Home” has the typical Arctic Monkeys sound—quick tempo, lots of noise; it’s a pretty good song. “Riot Van” is one of the few laid-back songs on the album, but it definitely deserves a listen.
“Red Light Indicates Doors are Secured” is, in a word, pointless. I’m not saying the song is bad, because I like it, but it’s just no-nonsense. “Mardy Bum” is about a moody girlfriend—we’ve all been there before. “I see your frown and it’s like looking down the barrel of a gun, and it goes off, and out comes all these words…there’s a very pleasant side to you, a side I much prefer.”
“Perhaps Vampires Is a Bit Strong But…” is my favorite song on the album. The beat is just awesome, and the guitar sounds really nice with the drum accompaniment. “When the Sun Goes Down” is kind of lame, I’m not a big fan of this one.
“From the Ritz to the Rubble” is another spectacular song on the CD, and it happens to be one of the longer songs, coming in just over three minutes. The song, like many other songs on this album, has a very catchy bass riff and a few guitars playing different things all at once. The last song, “A Certain Romance”, is over five minutes long, and starts off with what sounds like an alternative/harder rock drum and guitar intro, but suddenly changes to a light, pop-punk sound. They blend together quite well to form one of the stronger songs on the album.
Arctic Monkeys is fast becoming one of my favorite bands. Like I said earlier, their music isn't ridiculously complex, nor are their lyrics life changing, but the music is, in a word, fun. It's just something fun to listen to.
