Home
sign up| reviews / editor album review |
 content by: editor |
 to access audio and video on collective you need real player.The youth of today. Those who traded AM demos online will already have a pretty good idea what to expect from this debut LP proper. Urgent, ruff-and-tumble rock packed with hooks, riffs and a wry lyrical wit courtesy of 19-year-old frontman Alex Turner. It’s exciting stuff, simple yet deadly effective with straightforward Brit appeal which will nudge them even further into the hearts of the masses than their arty Domino predecessors, Franz Ferdinand. And there’s no filler either. Number one single, I Bet You Look Good…, is easily matched by the versatile genius of Still Take You Home (part The Jam, part The Stone Roses), the Clash-esque funk rock of Fake Tales Of San Francisco, or the sublime closer, A Certain Romance. Meanwhile, Mardy Bum is The Libertines with focus, while the quieter Riot Van shows they needn’t rely on testosterone alone. If these young guns develop their music as they develop as people then there are real treats in store. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, released 23 January 06 on Domino.
 comments
Read members' comments related to this album.
comment by opinan
Feb 13, 2006
This album is "alright". It's not "great". It's not even "that good". The NME recently rated it no.5 in their list of the all time 100 best British albums. Come on. Perhaps for a teenager enjoying their first taste of music that doesn't always reside in the top 40, they sound different and edgy; to me they just sound indistinct. Listen to Art Brut to hear well penned lyrics. Listen to Field Music to hear great harmonies, and, if you're after proper rock, why not try Early Man. And these are just the Brits. Try Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, Broken Social Scene.....
comment by ilike_music
Feb 7, 2006
You have gotta praise Arctic Monkeys for this album, all of the songs are great...the one that stands out most for me is "A Certain Romance." Just one downside to this album...why isn't "Cigarette Smoke" on here?!?! This is their best song by far! Still...great album...10/10!
comment by Enteralterego
Feb 3, 2006
True it is a great album, But to me "Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But." sounds like a album filler track to me, I have taken it out on my mp3 player playlist and replaced it with Bigger Boys and Stolen Sweethearts (B-Side from I bet...) which is a far superior song in my opinion, But after all that is said the album is still top imo would like to see any band try top it this year. 9/10 for me.
comment by sanstete
Jan 27, 2006
A good album, a great band. Easy to see why people think it over hyped though. It won't appeal to everyone and there's nothing new under the sun. But for "over hyped" think back to the last Coldplay album.It is fresh even if you can hear what they've been listening to.
comment by -Chip-
Jan 26, 2006
Preach on brother machinesoul!
comment by kingofthebees
Jan 25, 2006
>>>"and can only get better"
comment by seanyb85
Jan 25, 2006
Believe the hype!!The monkeys have got potential the be a modern great! They are without a doubt one of the best bands I've ever heard, Alex Turner is a genious for one so young, and can only get better. I do love the album, however I own a demo disc with most of the album songs on and I think this is far sumpreme to the "well produced, clean cut released album" I'd recommend to get your hands on it. Long live the monkeys!!!!!!!!
comment by Arnofio
Jan 24, 2006
I ordered mine from HMV online weeks ago, and it hasn't arrived yet
comment by machinesoul
Jan 24, 2006
Maybe my views are on this are informed by my age, and I'm guessing if I was still a teenager I might be a lot more excited by it.However after listening to the album, my first reaction was "Is that it?".Lyrically I can't really fault it although it's hardly groundbreaking( echoes of both Paul Weller in his Jam prime and Ray davies)But musically I don't get it, I'm not going to bore you with bands that it sounds like( although here's some-The Strokes,Wire,Subway Sect).I think the fact that people seem to think it sounds fresh is more about context.Where's the competition? Coldplay? Richard Ashcroft? Oasis? Babyshambles...Please!The album is fine but lots not get bogged down in hyperbole.If you are going to ask me of bands of the moment that I think are better,here goes- The Earlies,Sunshine Underground,LCD Soundsystem,VHs or Beta,Cut Copy,Fat Freddy's Drop,Sa Ra,..the list goes on.( no doubt there'll be a lot of people disagreeing with me and that's fine)
comment by mcrfan
Jan 23, 2006
Believe the hype. I haven't stopped listening to this album since i got it...the songs are amazing and not a filler to be found. I can't pick out a favourite because i love them all. Check out some of their other demos and songs if you can, they're as good as anything on this album. 10/10
|
 |
related info
 like this? try this...the jam
milburn  useful linkswww.dominorecordco.com
note: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
see also
 arctic monkeyssession  arctic monkeyssingle review
related conversations
 arctic monkeysby spencer xray arctic monkeysby vincent roccoforte  arctic monkeysby vincent roccoforte
also on bbc.co.uk
on bbc.co.uk/berkshire on bbc.co.uk/oxford on bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire on bbc.co.uk/radio1 archive  collective's dead... Long live Collective. Read our editor and member features. |
send to a friend
access 1000s of articles