Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
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Free Music Notes for Favourite Worst Nightmare
Free Music Review: The Monkeys are beginning to evolve...
Hit: 5 Stars
("Favourite Worst Nightmare" by Arctic Monkeys)
I suppose that Ray Davies and Paul Weller both still think they "invented" the most criticallly acclaimed, and therefore overhyped British band of the last decade (I mean, didn't they?). It's also a little late in the game to keep blathering on about the post-punk revival. Yes, Arctic Monkeys have fallen victim to all of the above, so when it came time for them to prove their worth, many predicted a smug, self-satisfied "I told you so," followed immediately by a career nose dive that would make Oasis look like, um, the Beatles. It's pleasant news that instead the lads have come back with a new album that, while superficially not much different from their debut, is in many ways better.
Starting off with the propulsive, exhilirating "Brainstorm," Favourite Worst Nightmare shows a band determined not to take themselves too seriously, but at the same time prove the mean it, man. While it's tempting to dismiss them as a bunch of too-young-for-their-own-good flash in the pan, theise monkeys have definitely evolved. The twin guiar interplay of Alex Turner and Jamie Cook is shiite hot, new bassist Nick O'Malley keeps their wildly changing songs solid, and drummer Matt Helders deserves some sort of special award--his style is both fluid and precise, not to mention flexible; the softer songs here are every bit as exciting as the rockers. While the album as a whole finds them moving more sharply away from punk, that doesn't mean they sound stodgy. If a band like the Rolling Stones had allowed punk to reinvigorate their sound, they might have sounded a little like the Monkeys do now.
Turner's Lyrics are better than ever--filled with internal rhymes and asides, he makes excess verbiage sound natural (that's one of the reasons music writers lionize the band--they kind of see Turner as a kindred spirit). The finely wrought tales of nightlife from their debut have given way to detailed character studis and even satire. "Brainstorm" is about a vain man named Brian: "And I wonder/Are you putting us under/'Cos we can't take our eyes off his t-shirt/And ties combination." "Old Yellow Bricks," with its sharp melody and new-wavy keyboards (my personal "favourite nightmare" on the album), mixes metaphors about "The Wizard of Oz" and Harry Houdini to describe a transition to adulthood: "Houdini look, you don't know what you're running away from/He wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up/Blinded by nostalgia..." concluding "but Dorothy was right though." Other songs, like the wittily titled "Fluorescent Adolescent" continue on this theme. With this album, Arctic Monkeys realize it's time to grow up, but still find playing to be too much fun. Listening is just about as good.
Free Music Review: Great Rock in Our Time
Hit: 5 Stars
The Arctic Monkeys are hopelessly cute and talented kids, and yet they make very grown-up rock. This album is darker, harder, and more difficult than the first, but it's got at least as many pop hooks, romantic moments, and devilishly clever quips--in other words, you're going to love it. The range of songs here is impressive: from the hardcore Brianstorm (the punks were moshing hard to this one at the show I saw) to the sensitive-guy tale of romantic regret of "Do Me a Favour."
Speaking of romantic regret, it's astonishing that Alex Turner is the same lyricist who wrote the wide-eyed tale of prostitution "They Say It Changes When the Sun Goes Down." No longer shocked and fascinated by the seedy side of life, in "Fluorescent Adolescent" he croons with jaded amusement: "You used to get it in your fishnets/Now you only get it in your night dress/Traded in your naughty nights for niceness/Landed in a very common crisis."
Part of Turner's appeal is that he is able to tell a story with equal veritas from either the point of view of a man or that of a woman--and yet his male characters are guys' guys, working class men who can't deal with their own emotions, let alone that of others. "505" is about a guy always running away from a relationship and his emotions, and realizing, he hopes before it's too late, how desperately he wants to be with his beloved. "I'm going back to 505," he sings, and the music evokes a 90 mile-per-hour drive down a deserted night highway,"if it's a seven-hour flight or a forty-five minute drive/In my imagination you're waiting lying on your side/with your hands between your thighs." It's a slow, quiet song, the passion brutally contained, until Alex screams out, "I crumble completely when you cry," and we suddenly know the whole history of this relationship, and how deeply he needs it to work. We hear a young man struggling to grow up and be worthy of love.
The music shows an impressive ability to absorb ideas from other bands without sounding derivative. The guitars are flawless and the drumming athletic and inspiring. The singing is brilliant as well, and it's too bad that Alex's talent as a lyricist has overshadowed his talent as a vocal stylist.
Free Music Review: The Monkeys Get Cooler
Hit: 5 Stars
I thought it would be hard to follow up the fastest, fiercest and most enjoyable punk rock album, but the Arctic Monkeys' sophomore album is a great expansion of their ferocious sound.
In the Arctic Monkeys' first album, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not," they set the British punk scene on fire with a speedy flurry of virtuoso guitar riffs and drum beating. The second album, "Favourite Worst Nightmare," continues their virtuoso performances, but with a more streamlined expansion of their surf-guitar sound.
The first single, "Brianstorm," demonstrates that sound with a killer opening riff that resembles that opening to the film "Pulp Fiction." I love Jamie Cook and Alex Turner's killer staccato guitar blasts accompanying Matt Helder's fast-tempo drum beat. And unlike the singer in Bloc Party (no offense, mate), Turner has a taste for blood, blurting out, "Brian, top marks for not trying/So I'd like you to bless us with your effortlessness/we'd wait for and so trained and comforted." Obviously Turner hates working for the man.
And the Arctic Monkeys also hate the mindless drift into commercialism these days. Alex Turner is very blunt in his criticism in the smashing song "This House is a Circus," singing "This house is a circus/berserk as f***/We tend to see that as a perk though/look what it's done to your friends/their memories are pretend." The Arctic Monkeys appropriately switch to a deep echoing guitar to add creepy Halloween sounds. Of course, sooner or later the Monkeys switch to smashing the haunting mood with crashing cymbals and loud guitars.
Overall, this album is more a concept album that criticizes social oppression. But "Favourite Worst Nightmare" is a great concept album, where the Arctic Monkeys literally smash the hell out of punk with unconventional dissonant guitar blasts and spooky echoing riffs. While there are slow and quiet moments, this is a wonderful combination of surf and punk rock. Arctic Monkeys are at the top of their game, contributing two great albums of wonderful punk rock.
Free Music Review: It's very hard to top their first album, but...
Hit: 5 Stars
Picture this: a band of guys that are barely adults come out of nowhere and create an album that although doesn't sell a WHOLE lot (well, in the U.S., anyway), it makes such an impact that it was the fastest selling debut album EVER in their native England, and it was even nominated for two Grammys in the States. Yes, I'm talking about Arctic Monkeys and their electrifying debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. But then the question is, how do you measure up to something like that? The answer: make an album like Favourite Worst Nightmare.
I initially thought the Monkeys would be taking a break after bassist Andy Nicholson quit the band just before last year's North American tour (which I wish I was at, but it doesn't matter; nobody ever comes to Milwaukee anyway). But in came new bassist Nick O'Malley, and he blends in quite well with the other members. Alex's songwriting is invigorating as always, and he and the rest of the band continue to impress, as shown by tracks like "Old Yellow Bricks" and "Teddy Picker".
One song that I have to mention, though, is the lead single "Brianstorm" (not brainstorm; "BRIANstorm"). That's the album's opening track, and the way those guitars start just blow you away AND invite you in at the same time. It's also interesting to hear a few mellow tracks that don't sound so clichéd, like "Only Ones Who Know" and "505". Speaking of romantic tunes, "The Bad Thing" is pretty funny.
I also like the metaphorical "Balaclava" (which is the proper term for a ski mask; at first I thought it was a unique way of saying "baklava"), but my favorite song on the album would have to be...hell, ALL of them. I don't know what's more impressive, that the Monkeys made another great album, or that they did it all in less than forty minutes. Whatever the case, pick up Favourite Worst Nightmare NOW.
Anthony Rupert
Free Music Review: My favourite worst nightmare!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
British rock act Arctic Monkeys return with the follow up to their massively hyped debut, which set the record as the fastest selling debut in UK chart history (going on to sell over a million).
The tendency is for one to rush and say "Favourite worst nightmare" either falls below expectations, or, is far superior to their debut. Truth is, it is neither; it is just as good as their debut, which is great news if you (like millions did) loved that one.
Short, frenetic bursts of brilliance, with very clever lyrics, though this time, the songs are less abrasive and more tuneful.
Lead off single "Brianstorm" sounds like it should be an atonal clutter of noise, but is surprisingly a danceable, catchy number, faintly akin to "When the sun goes down" from their debut.
There isn't a shortage of great tracks; "D is for dangerous", "Balaclava" (fantastic machinegun-like guitars and a spit fire vocal delivery), the highly melodic "Fluorescent adolescent", the woozy "Do me a favour", "This house is a circus" (with what could pass for a soccer stadium chorus towards the end), the energetic "The bad thing", and the utterly brilliant "Old yellow bricks" (awesome guitar riff, and hugely danceable) which The Killers or Franz Ferdinand would kill for. My absolute favourite cut.
Slowing things down are the melancholic acoustic ballad "Only ones who knows" (with some ghostly effects), and closing cut "505" (about the stress of maintaining a relationship while on the road touring) which starts off brooding but gets rockier towards the end. Again, fantastic guitar work!
Already headed for another massive debut at #1 in the UK (currently outselling the entire top 20 in it's first week), you can safely say The Arctic Monkeys have successfully avoided the dreaded sophomore slump. Brilliant!!!