The British are coming! The British are coming!
I feel like we might be experiencing a second British Invasion. The last three albums I’ve purchased have been by new British artists. What’s the source of all this new found Brit-love? I have no idea, but I love it. Last year The Arctic Monkeys charmed critics the world over with their colorful, working class rock. The band is back with their second album, FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE.
Now, when the word about his band hit my ears—I got excited. I remember seeing a story about them on CNN the day before they released their first album here in America. The bad is BIG in the UK, and they were expected to dominate the radio over here. Well, it didn’t happen. The United States is more self-involved than ever…no one cares what anyone thinks outside the lower 49 (ask our President if he cares what anyone NOT American thinks). The band’s lack of success stateside can’t all be blamed on Red State isolationism, however. When WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM, THAT’S WHAT I’M NOT came out, I bought it (or Leah bought it) and gave it a listen. Just like the album’s title, the track names were long, and frankly—highly pretentious.
Look, I’m all for complex song titles, but is it really necessary to have a song on your FIRST album entitled: “You Probably Couldn’t See for the Lights But You Were Staring Straight At Me.” Yeah, that pretty much sums it up right there. There were a few really good tracks on the record (including the outstanding single, “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor”). But overall, I wasn’t really that impressed.
Then last month FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE came out, and I heard the first single “Brainstorm” on iTUNES…and I wasn’t impressed yet again. But, since Leah was a big fan of their first one, she decided to buy it. So, there I was in my car driving her to softball, when Leah popped the CD into my car’s player—and as if by magic I was enthralled by The Arctic Monkeys.
The album opens with “Brainstorm,” which as I mentioned before…isn’t all that great. It sounds exactly like the first record. The band does this thing with their drums that I hate. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like there are the drums…and then there’s the rest of the song—and the two aren’t always in sync (or fit together). Give “Brainstorm” a listen and you’ll hear what I mean. The band did that all over the first record. After the first track, however, I didn’t notice them doing this (maybe someone finally told them that’s it annoying).
“Teddy Picker” is the second track, but for me is where it really should have started. One thing that’s easy to overlook about this band is how articulate/intricate the lyrics are. This is definitely what I like to call a “headphone” album. If you really want to grasp all the little lyrical nooks and crannies you need to dust off the ear buds and give the album a listen. “D for Dangerous” and “Balaclava” are fast paced, frantic, and some of the best poetry I’ve heard in a long time. Problem is…most listeners will probably let it all blur past them. That’s a shame.
Then there are the other singles…iTUNES was offering “Brainstorm” up as the first single prior to FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE came out, but the song that everyone is talking about is “Fluorescent Adolescent.” This in my humble opinion is a better single that “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor.” This song, more than any other reminds me of another band The Arctic Monkeys are often compared to—The Libertines (R.I.P.). “Fluorescent Adolescent,” like many of the other songs speeds by at a breakneck speed…and before you know it, the song is over (the track clocks in fewer than three minutes).
And that’s my biggest problem with the record as a whole…it’s far too short. In an age when many artists are putting out double albums (with four to five minute tracks) The Arctic Monkeys are too succinct. The band needs to flesh their songs out, perhaps with more musical breakdowns/solos. I understand that the band is going for a simple/back-to-basics sound…but even at $10, I feel cheated by the running time of this record. It’s good, but far too brief. Then again, it’s always better to leave ‘em wanting more…which FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE most certainly does.
It’s rare for a band to release a follow-up album that’s such a vast improvement over their first. The fact that they put this out less than a year after their first record came out tells me that this band is going to be one to watch.
I’ve prattled on enough, but there is one last thing I need to talk about. The last track, “505” is a fucking masterpiece. I can’t say enough good things about it. Though it’s not a “single” by any stretch (it’s one of the longest songs on the whole record), I think it’s the best track the band has ever put out. It’s a little slower than the majority of the record, which has me wondering at this band’s untapped potential for slower numbers.
The song has some really great lines like: “Not shy of a spark/A knife twists at the thought that I should fall short of the mark/Frightened by the bite/though it’s no harsher than the bark/Middle of adventure/such a perfect place to start.” Another one of my favorite’s: “But I crumble/completely when you cry/It seems like once again you've had to greet me with goodbye/I’m always just about to go and spoil a surprise/Take my hands off of your eyes too soon” For some reason this song sticks with me in ways I cannot explain (see my post on “The Boys of Summer). I’ve listened to this track at least 15 time, and I can't get enough of it's brilliant melancholy.
FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE surprised me with its depth and intricate lyrics.
Jason gives FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE a “B+”
