How I Love Thee Alex.. (Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys)

Member Name: cherwaite

Product:	Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
Date:	05/10/06 (198 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great Songs, Makes me Dance & Smile, Bloody Good Lyrics

Disadvantages: They are all too young to fancy me . Ho hum .

Let me count the ways.

1 - You are young. Therefore you have energy.
2 - You have that scruffy indie, couldnt give a flip thing going on. You hair is always messy. You wear Fred Perry. You talk utter rubbish in interviews.
3 - Your voice is so rough around the edges, broad yorkshire style that it makes my heart thump.

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen. I have a Crush on a minor. Well not just any minor in my justification. The hottest of the hotties currently in the charts. Plus the most talented in my humble opinion. He gives me shivers and he gets me dancing ~ What more could a lass want?

Im talking about Alex Turner, the 20 year old lead vocalist and guitarist of the Sheffield based group Arctic Monkeys. My review is about their Debut Album 'Whatever People Say I Am, Thats What Im Not'. Thats a mouthful. This is my first music review so apologies for any random ramblings that have nothing to do withthe CD in question, Im more at home in the Cafe but I had to write my humble appraisal of this brilliant band.

I watched the Mercury Music prize awards the other night and smiled a big toothy grin as they won the £20,000 cheque and the award for Best Album of the year. Thom Yorke didn't look too happy as they drunkenly, i suspect, clambered towards the podium and claimed it was due to 'Good tunes and no tricks' that had won them the award. I couldnt agree more. This has been my album of 2006. Its been played more in my car, my bedroom and my kitchen whilst i have done the dishes than any other CD. I have even started waking up singing songs as soon as i open my eyes. Jesus.

The Album is full of 3 minute pop indie tracks. Alex makes funny wise cracks and observations about his neighbourhood, how people act, what they wear, the social deprivation of it all. At times melancholy but always cringingly accurate. Very astute.

History of the group
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The appeal of the group is how real and down to earth they are. They come from similar backgrounds to any other working class northern lads and they sing about issues like meeting lasses in a nightclub or getting into fights when drunk., buying alcopops and 'Scummy' people. There are no pretences, what you see is very much what you get.

All the members of the group hail from High Green nr Chapeltown in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. This is so close to me ::Sigh:: I could have walked past them and not known. Im a geek sorry.

As mentioned above Alex Turner is the lead vocalist and guitarist. He is 20 years old. Damn. He has been compared to Jarvis Cocker by the press due to the facts 1)Hes from Sheffield 2) He writes about experiences he has been through to which every one of us can relate. He was named 'The Coolest Man on the Planet' by NME in Dec 2005. I can imagine he found this quite embarrassing.

Jamie Cook (aged 21) is the bands main guitarist and occasionally a backing vocalist. He is a neighbour of Alex Turner and still lives with his parents in High Green. Often noted as the most outspoken of the band. Even Coldplay have been at the end of his wrath describing them as 'Boring'. Never! :D

Matthew Helders is on Drums. He also appears on tracks as a backing vocalist namely 'I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor'. He attended the same high school as Alex and Jamie and apparently plays the drums as 'It was the only thing left'.

Nick O'Malley is the bands newest member. He replaced former Bass Guitarist Andy Nicholson who left the group due to exhaustion earlier this year. Originally from a group called The Dodgems, 21 year old Nick hasnt officially been named a member of the band yet but has been touring with them since May.

Glynn Jones ~ Reports came out in The Sun Newspaper that Glynn was the original lead vocalist in the group. He and Alex originally started the group but he did not have the dedication Alex had and left thinking they were just kids messing about. I bet hes rueing the day now!

To begin with the group performed under the name Bang Bang and sung cover versions of Led Zepplin songs in an american accent. Alex took over songwriting duties as none of the other bandmates were interested and this is where it all took off. They handed out free demo cd's to fans and their demos were made available on the internet after being posted by a fan. This is where it all took off. Before they knew it the group were going professional and were signed to Domino Records in June 2005. Touring Reading and Leeds Festivals in the following months.

Copies of the guys self released EP under the name Bang Bang made in May last year are now going for £250 plus on ebay and other auctions sites after limited numbers were made available.

Their Debut single 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' made number one in its first week of release selling 40'000 plus copies. The video for this has a Strokes-esque feel to it with just one camera shot being used in what looks like one take. Very retro with the music doing the talking.

The Album im reviewing shifted 360'00 copies in its first week becoming the fastest debut selling artists (thankgod they pushed Hear'say off the top of the charts). I bought one \o/ . Most stores sold out. Since that they have toured the world and released. They have since released 2 more songs, 1 from the CD and 1 not and have already started writing tracks for the next CD.

Recently (last week) they played a Secret gig in my town ~ Barnsley at the Citrus Rooms. It quickly sold out to a max 500 capacity. 2 of the band members attended Barnsley College so it meant alot to them to come back to their roots. Although by all accounts the crowd was so hyper, Alex's lyrics couldnt be heard. Poop!

They are very popular on myspace too, here they do regular updates on songs, gigs and have a comments space where fans congregate to tell them how fab they are!

The CD Cover
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This is a black and white print with one of the groups friends from Sheffield, Chris McClure on it. In the photo he is a tad drunk and smoking. This sparked fury in the health profession as some doctors proclaimed this was making smoking look 'cool' and acceptabley trendy. Others responded saying this was just everyday life and people should accept that. I doubt there was any undercurrent of the image being used before hand 'Yes I know what will make us look hip and down with the kids - Stick a Benson and Hedges in his hand'. The guy oozes laidback drunken uber coolness. In the top hand left corner is the groups logo in black and white. It is very easy to spot on the shelf and is unlike any other CDs around at the moment.

The Tracklisting and My Thoughts on each song
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1. The View from the Afternoon.

Opening with crashing drums building up to Alex's Lyrics this song cracks the album open to a romping upbeat start. It comes to a halt midway through giving you the impression the song has come to an early stop but then it kicks in again. Very easy to dance to, i love it. Im guessing this song is about a night out, getting drunk and the aftermath as it refers to emailing/texting a girl and i quote 'You can pour your heart out but her reasoning will block owt you send her after nine o clock' Or i could just be jumping to assumptions. Narf!

2. I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor.

The Debut single is loved by everyone and is unbelievably catchy. When its played in clubs/pubs everyone rushes to the middle of the dancefloor and begins to *mosh* and jump up and down or plays air guitar. The riff at the begin is so recognisable. This song is about Alex eyeing someone up on a urm.. dancefloor. Very uplifting it always makes me smile, especially as he refers to robotic dancing :D My favourite kind.

3. Fake Tales Of San Francisco

This is at a very slower pace to Dancefloor. With a stomping start with the drums punching out. Still very catchy. Referring to being at a wedding disco without a bride or groom. Alex lyrics again refer to his northern upbringing 'You're not from New York City, you're from Rotherham'.

4. Dancing Shoes

I adore this song! It makes me want to get up and urm dance. The way Alex says 'Sexy little swine' makes me dribble with mirth. He sound very swoony. Its about a girl who is too shy to approach a guy but its very obvious 'thats the only reason that you cameee'. I know where hes coming from, going out round town on Saturdays its like a meat market!

5. You Probably Couldnt See For The Lights But You Were Looking Straight At Me.

Woah long title. With backing vocals from Matthew this sounds quite different to the previous songs. No idea what this is about, i presumed it was about drugs to begin with but now im not so sure. Message me if you know. Alex shows his funny lyricist style with this line 'And I'm so tense, never tenser. Could all go a bit Frank Spencer?' It ends suddenly and is a short song.

6. Still Take You Home

This is about a girl who Alex likes. Shes a teenage lass who he proclaims 'doesnt know nothing', is a 'topshop princess' and he 'can't see through your fake tan'. This is as close to a romantic ballad as you will get with the Monkeys.

7. Riot Van

Starting off in a melancholy tone this song is the most downbeat on the album. About being chased by the police and it being 'a laugh' I guess this is what is entertainment for some young lads! Underage drinking, coppers and being sung like Alex still has a hangover. This is a relaxing track in comparison with the rest of the songs.

8. Red Light Indicates Doors are Secured

This is about getting a taxi home from a night out. Alcopops and rival lads chatting up the object of Alex's eye feature heavily. Fights in the taxi queue and taxi drivers getting angry. This is another 3 minute classic indie tune. Referring to Hillsborough in Sheffield you can guess this is a true tale.

9. Mardy Bum.

I LOVE THIS TRACK! A Mardy Bum is slang for a moody person up t'north. This is about a friend who is mardy after they are late. They want her to stop arguing and being miserable. Alex sounds at his best on this track. Showing a softer side to the monkeys!

10. Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong but...

This has a harder more rocky edge to it. It starts with heavy bass and stronger forceful singing. No idea what the song is about but who cares, ill just nod and pretend to understand. Stick with me.

11. When The Sun Goes Down

The 2nd release off the album this went to number 1 in the first week also. This song is about a prostitute stood on the streets being approached by men in cars. One is referred to as a 'Scrummy Man'. Very gritty, the video to this song was equally as shocking and stood up to the track. It ends with her going in a Ford Mondeo. Lovely.

12. From The Ritz To The Rubble

It begins with Alex talking, not rapping just talking like he would to a friend. Talking about another Saturday night out, being turned away from a club by a bouncer and doing things they wouldnt do on a Sunday. How true. Im sure we have all woke up thinking.. what did i do last night?!

13. A Certain Romance

The closing track to this fab album starts with a crescendo of drums, then guitar and bass then tiptoeing guitar riffs to Alex's vocals. This is about what lads round his neighbourhood are like, what they dress like ~ I guess you could say Chavs. 'Knackered Converse' and 'Tracky Bottoms stuck in socks'. Alex bemoans the lack of romance, the lack of motivation and deprivation in his area. Socially astute Alex makes clever observations here.

Where can I get this from and for how much?
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Anywhere and everywhere. The CD is still shifting huge quantities as more and more people get hooked. It has just gone platinum in Australia!

Most Supermarkets stock it such as Asda., Morrisons and Tesco. Or online 'shops' such as play.com or amazon or Ebay. I have just done a quite kelkoo search for the cheapest and apparently its ~

£7.99 with free P&P at Play.com

I urge you to go buy it now! Go on now, shoo. Oh wait a minute finish reading the rest first :D

Rounding it Up
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Im so proud of this group. I dont know why, I dont know any of them personally or am a personal friend. Its just being from a close town, attending the college I went to. Its very hard to get into the industry and they cracked it with pure determination and talent. I hope they stay around for a long time, I can see the staying power!

Obviously comparisons are being made to other groups although I myself think they are very individual and a league above most of the indie bands out at the moment. They are consistently good both live and in recordings. Alex's vocals are so unique, they appeal to everyone it seems in any age group. We would all like to think it was us in that situation they are singing about. You could almost imagine they were your friends, thats their quality. They are just like you and me. Although im guessing somewhat richer. Im chuffed they have become so popular although as they say 'Dont Believe The Hype'. They are well aware that fame comes and goes quickly.

Their last song Leave before the lights come on got to number 4 in the charts and im hoping will be on their next album which I will definitely be in the queue for.

Give it a listen if your after a refreshing change. There are no weak tracks whatsoever, they are original and at the top of their game. Respect where its due.

For more info check out

www.arcticmonkeys.co.uk

copyright cherwaite 2006 xx

Summary: The Best Album Of The Year, bar none.