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Arctic Monkeys
There are two things the British know: beer and Rock N' Roll. Both are imports yet the British treat each as their own creation. It makes sense. Pubs are a integral part of English life. Nobody goes to a pub for the food - or shouldn't. It's generally horrid. So the beer had better be superior. And it is. Rock is no less ingrained in the British experience. Ever since The Beatles conquered the world over four decades ago, the British music industry has endeavored to keep the pipeline full. It's probably the only place on earth where parents accept Rock music as a viable career path for their offspring - especially the ones who have bad attitudes and are no good in school.
When the U.K. music industry discovers a popular sound/group, they are able to produce countless clones almost at will. That's when the big British hype machine comes to life. A clunky, loud thing, it more resembles the "man behind the curtain" (as in the Wizard of Oz) than any real magic. But people get sucked in just the same. The idea is to get the Americans, and by extension the rest of the world, to buy and buy more since tax revenues from music sales are about the only thing that keeps the island afloat.
So news of the Arctic Monkeys' (c'mon, seriously?) U.K. success initially had to be viewed skeptically. They were yet another band who wore their Jam, Clash and Smiths influences on their sleeve. Toss in the White Stripes, Vines, Libertines and a scruffier take on Franz Ferdinand for mainstream accessibility. Yet even for the U.K., it looked as though the Arctic Monkeys were the real deal.
The Arctic Monkeys formed in '03. Sheffield lads Turner and Cook had received guitars the previous Christmas. Soon the two were practicing together, learning songs and starting a group. A year later, they landed a deal with Domino, the same label that gave the world another over-hyped wonder, Franz Ferdinand. Hey, if you got a good thing, keep it going.
Their debut single, "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor," debuted at #1 on the singles chart. Impressive? OK, while that almost never happens in the U.S., debuting at the top, even for new group, does occur in the U.K. - at least once or twice a year - or so it seems. Then came the '06 release of their album "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not." This is where it gets interesting. Having a hit single is no big deal but transferring that success to an album is a different story. Within days of its release the CD sold nearly 120,000 copies in the U.K., which was more than the rest of the Top 20 album chart combined.
Due to "fatigue following an intensive period of touring" Nicholson left in '06. The news was later "officially" confirmed on the band's web site. "We are sad to tell everyone that Andy is no longer with the band." Another Sheffield musician, Nick O'Malley, joined as a temporary replacement for touring before signing on as a full-time member.
"Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" won the '06 Mercury Prize (or Nationwide Mercury Prize) for the best British or Irish album of the previous 12 months. The following year they nailed Best British Group at the BRIT Awards (British Recording Industry Trust).
Arctic Moneys unfurled "Favourite Worst Nightmare," with the single, "Brianstorm," in April, '07. The band's second studio album demonstrated a little wider aperture.
The music industry is littered with bands that found instant success and little else. There can be a stunning and permanent reaction if there's the perception success arrived too easily or was unwarranted. So the question facing the Arctic Monkeys is whether they can out run any potential backlash. With "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" there's reason to believe they just might. Arctic Monkeys have lean, hook filled approach. It's nothing that hasn't been done before but they bring a lot of energy and drive to the proceedings. The verses are lean and keep moving while the choruses push hard.
The hit, "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor," is potent though it promulgates superficial lyrics ("I bet you look good on the dancefloor, don't know what you're looking for"). Not that it matters all that much. The song has an irresistible appeal. There are several outstanding tracks including "Fake Tales Of San Francisco," "You Probably Couldn't See The Lights But You Were Looking Straight At Me" and "When The Sun Goes Down." For a change of pace, they throw in the Ska flavored "A Certain Smile" and the tongue-in-cheek ballad "Riot Van."
The Arctic Monkeys ability to "jump" on songs is one of their strongest traits. Even when they try to be serious they still have a good natured appeal (they are named the Arctic Monkeys after all). In addition, the songs on "Favourite Worst Nightmare" have a dramatic riff here or a clever vocal inflection there to give a track an extra pull. That's particularly true on the set's opener, "Brianstorm," with its jerky rhythm and texture variations. But they don't rely on gimmicks all the time. In fact, some of best tracks on the album "The Bad Thing" and "Teddy Picker," are no nonsense uptempo shots.