Hiro11

Are they the flavor-of-the-minute or genuinely good?

Their debut single "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" just topped the British charts. It's a pretty good song, snappy mod-punk-pop a'la Kaiser Chiefs/Maximo Park, but not particularly unique. One of the B-sides ("Bigger Boys and Stolen Sweethearts") is a little more unique and promising, it also features a pretty funny refrain. Their debut album "Whatever People Say I am, That's What I am Not" got a few raves from the notoriously biased and fickle Brit press.

I dunno, I'm a little sick of jagged British neo-post punk. Is the album any good?

Giles

I couldn't wait after reading the review from NME (they gave it a rare 10 rating) I put in an order at CDWow ($16.12)

atlantamoi

I quickly went through the songs and wasn't really all that impressed. Maybe if this came out two years ago it would have had more pull, but I'm tiring of some of the Franz bands. I could totally change my opinion on more listens... just my first thoughts.

Giles

Pollstar isn't listing them yet, but they will be touring in North America at the end of March.

deadlax

Didn't like this album, preferred the We are Scientists album much more.

DullandWitless

I love the new album. First I've ever heard of them. I looked it up due to it being high on some lists in the rank em 06 thread.

BDB

I like it, have it a little bit, Giles I have tickets to see them at Great American Music Hall in SF, and saw the listing on pollstar.. got them last week.

I think your search was off

Mon 03/13/06 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall

Wed 03/15/06 Los Angeles, CA Music Box @ Fonda

Fri 03/17/06 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa

Sat 03/18/06 Chicago, IL Metro / Smart Bar


Tue 03/21/06 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre

Wed 03/22/06 Montreal, QC La Sala Rossa

Thu 03/23/06 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club / Lounge

Sat 03/25/06 New York, NY Webster Hall

Sun 03/26/06 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church

Mon 03/27/06 Washington, DC 9:30 Club

Wed 03/29/06 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe

ChrisKnudsen

These acts are getting worse faster than the new waves of Grunge that came out in the '90s. My stomach feels ill imaging the post-punk revival equivent of Nickelback or Creed. I would say the Artic Monkeys are the equivent to Silverchair or 7 Mary 3 this generation. Sorry to dislike most music.

Tarantino

I listened to the album...didn't seem like anything too special to me.

= J

atlantamoi

On 2nd listen it really reminds me of a mesh between Jet and Franz. Not into this stuff.

Giles

bought my 9:30 tix last Thursday

jonnyrocks

I like and agree with your analogy 100%. I'd also throw Morningwood and We Are Scientists in that same category.

EDIT: I somewhat retract my statement. Arctic Monkeys are totally way better than both Morningwood and We Are Scientists, mostly due to the fact that Arctic Monkeys are not shite. Going back to the analogy, Arctic Monkeys are more of a Stone Temple Pilots than a 7 Mary 3.

Comedyman90

http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/22045

Their debut sold over 100,000 copies on it's first day and 350,000 copies are expected this week. I can't wait for this to be released in the U.S. already, I have been a follower of these guys for a while...good to see them succesfull!

Giles

I couldn't wait for the US edition so my order is among the thousands counted (paitently waiting for my CDWow order in the mail).

Numanoid

It will certainly be their fastest selling album ever.


Who are they now?

Giles

but for me, the Jet album was at least memorable and better than decent - a 10 from NME - what crack were they smoking? - okay that's the last time I will read their raves. and then they go and rank the album number 5 in their '100 Greatest British Albums Ever' list - okay, NME you have officially qualified and won yourselves the title of 'the snobbiest music rag on the planet'. I'll give this album a second spin, but first impression - meh?!

BDB

Saw the opening night of the US tour, here in San Fran on Monday. I have to say it was a really good show, lots of energy, slight problem with the amp for the bass about 3 songs in so they played a new song with no bass, acoustic like.... Good track, similar way of storytelling.

The set was short punchy and fast. 1 hour max. with only 1 album not much else can be expected. had a pretty good stage presence, seemed undaunted by the hype.

Including introducing themselves as the hot band of the moment or something to that effect..


Support act the Spinto band, wtf! looked like they were on ritalin or speed, they irked me with their silly headbopping. I think they all had shiny happy people playing in there monitors.


my ticket was 12 dollars, 2 guys beside me paid 70 and 100 dollars from scalpers. Glad to have seen them first time out.

The Bus

I don't get these guys at all. I'd compare them to the Libertines, or Razorlight, or Kaiser Chiefs.

(Those are all unfavorable impressions).

Franz Ferdinand and Maximo Park are 340x better.

grunter

I've tried repeatedly to "get" this album - but it just doesn't click for me. That "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" single just has no "get-up-n-go" for me.

I'd rate it a 35, Dick. I can't even dance to it.

BDB

Grunter is too old for arctic monkeys, what was great was the show was very limited in the teeny crowd, next time around though they will be mobbed with teenagers..

Snorker

I wasn't a fan at all. Way overrated, and not very good. I recently listened to We are scientists and would argue they're much better than AM. In fact, they're one of the few "Franz" (as this music is being referred to apparently) bands I like. I enjoy the Kaiser Chiefs as well, having seen them live, I like them more than when I had only heard the album. If you kinda dig their music and have the chance to see their concert, check em out.

chino77

overrated for sure but not really a bad cd...just nothing special IMO.

Autumn

Thanks for posting this as I was debating whether or not to pick it up. Per your previous threads on Babybird and others, I think our musical tastes are similar. I checked some other forums for other musicians I enjoy and several posted they weren't so impressed.

Hiro11

I agree. "A Certain Trigger" is still in my CD changer, great album. Arctic Monkeys was in there for about two hours.

Squirrel God

I don't get the popularity of the Monkeys at all. I liked 'Dancefloor' but everything else I've heard has sounded like a spoof. Maybe that's it and they're a Northern England version of Spinal Tap.

Surprised to read of their popularity in America in the press as I would've thought the very thick accents would've meant it was instantly dismissed as incomprehensible. Or maybe that's the attraction?