ALBUM REVIEW; ARCTIC MONKEYS- FAVORITE WORST NIGHTMARE

Arctic Monkeys- Favorite Worst Nightmare
4/5
Domino Records

UK indie/post-punk darlings, the Arctic Monkeys open their new record with the statement, “Top marks for not tryin’,” and they immediately cast aside doubts about a bloated sophomore slump. The band who told their fans upon the release of the highest-selling debut in UK history, “Don’t believe the hype,” are at it again: relax the high expectations and enjoy the ride.

The band begins its sophomore release with galloping drums and a driving guitar riff; they never look back. “Brianstorm,” the lead single, has none of the expected elements of an effective pop single. There is no chorus, the soft/loud element is turned inside-out and the lyrics are awkwardly phrased. But that is the Arctic Monkeys’ charm, and it works—just like last time.

This record is much louder, faster and angrier than its predecessor. Gone is the happy-go-lucky toe tapping of “Dancin’ Shoes,” its replacement is the angry wit of “Teddy Picker,” when vocalist Alex Turner asks, “Who wants to be ‘man of the people,’ when there’s people like you?”

Instead of sounding derivative, the band sounds like they have finally come into their own. Some of the riffs on Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not sounded half-baked, not so on here.

The sound is original but still steeped in influence, it is amazing how the band commands so many influences into one band. One can hear anything from the Beatles to the Jam, Oasis to the Libertines, the Clash to the Strokes.

Vocal delivery did not much change from record to record, but it is refined here. Turner moves so quickly, he sounds as if he is rapping over the rock behind him. The disc did not come with lyrics in the liner notes—you are going to have to either figure it out yourself or search the Internet for someone else’s interpretation.

The obligatory slow track splitting the album promises a mandatory track skip once again. “Only Ones You Know” lacks the energy of any other track on the record, and there is no payoff for such a slow song, such as a big ending.

The best tracks start slow and small, but end huge and fast. “Do Me a Favour” features an Americana guitar riff, and speaks about a broken relationship “to heavy to hold.”

“If You Were There, Beware,” begins with a suspenseful two-note guitar riff. The bass kicks in, and you think we’ve got a “Death Proof” style high-speed chase on our hands. But not yet. The midtempo rhythm keeps the listener begging for more, then suddenly they kick into high gear and the amps up to 11.

The chase begins, and just as abruptly, ends. Distorted guitar and vocals are all that is left, or so you think. The villain-muscle car comes back with a snarky riff, and the chase is back, full swing.

The UK press is still fawning over the band’s very existence; NME calls them one of the five best bands ever. Not yet, but if each record shows this much progress, then maybe sometime in the very near future we can make that statement.