Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

Jonny Arson

Has anyone managed to have a listen of this yet?

Initially when I heard a few live recordings of some of the new songs I wasn't impressed with what I heard and when Brianstorm came on the airwaves I was fearing this was going to be an awful 2nd album

Thankfully the album is better than what I first feared.

Album kicks of with first single Brianstorm which I still hate, the guitars sound like a recycled version of When The Sun Goes Down and the intro and ending sounding similar to A Certain Romance from their debut. Despite my criticisms of the song, it is a punchy punky song which will go down well with the less critical fan than myself!

Tracks 2-5 are Teddy Picker, D Is For Dangerous, Balaclava and Flourescent Adolescent. All are reminiscent of your typical catchy anthems from the band's debut, the latter of these the singalong Flourescent Adolescent sounds like a future hit in the making.

At this stage you get the feeling Arctic Monkeys have attempted to stay safe and try and make another version of their debut but thankfully the rest of the album does attempt to go in another direction. Gentle slow paced ballad Only Ones Who Know could be called this album's Riot Van, its pleasant but is lacking originality. Do Me A Favour, If You There Beware and album finisher 505 show the band going in different more mature direction with their music and experimenting from their traditional punky guitar sounds. Old Yellow Bricks has a funky guitar stomp reminiscent of Fake Tales Of San Francisco and has James Ford Klaxons' style production written all over it.

The other tracks are the ranty punky stomp This House Is A Circus and the jangly poppy The Bad Thing.

Overall I like the album, it has grown on me alot but it is not as immediate as their fantastic debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. There is a fine mix of the band's trademark catchy songs from album no.1 and songs showing the band moving in another direction but I feel that this lack of continuity which made their debut so strong is this album's downpoint. Favourite Worst Nightmare has a feel of an album of 12 songs thrown together unlike the debut which essentially was a concept album and breezed from track to track anthem after anthem. There are very good songs on this album, it would get rave reviews if it was their debut but as this follow comes just 15 months after that first album inevitably there will only be comparisons to that debut and being honest there is just not the same volume of monster hits on this album. Still a solid follow-up.

I'll give it a 7/10

Ruskie4Rent

I wasn't blown away at first but the more i'm listenin to it, the more i think it's a better record than the first one.

It's good to see them heading a different direction with their music. The playing sounds better and the lyrics are still insightful, although a bit more personal and with less social commentary. Alot of people might not be happy with that , and that could take away from their mainstream appeal, but that could be the point.

There's alot of hype surrounding the Arctic Monkeys and maybe it'll be less deafening after this is released, however i did read a review of the album that said "everything you hoped they'd be, they are" so maybe not:rolleyes: .

Anyway its a great album and i'd recommend downloading it, cos it'll probably sell loads anyway.

youcancallmeal

Tracks 1 and 9 are rather catchy the rest is either simply forgettable or I just haven't listened enough times to appreciate it. Overall it doesn't catch you the way their first album did and is nowhere near as good.

Creamy Goodness

haven't heard the album and i dispise the singers voice but i have to admit the relative simplicity of that "brainstorm" riff is surprisingly catchy. i find myself humming it throughout the day.

BrianD

Tonight (Monday, April 16th) on Bedrock, John Caddell will be playing all the tracks off the much anticipated new Arctic Monkeys album, 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'. Tune into Bedrock from 10pm tonight (Monday) right through 'till 1am to hear the latest sounds from Sheffield's finest.

Tune into Phantom 105.2, Dublin or online at phantom.ie

iFight

Only heard Brianstorm which i am liking. Fairly catchy, a lot like when the sun goes down...in a bad way =P

DerekD Goldfish

to hear the latest sounds from Sheffield's finest

*Shudders*

They have been many great Sheffield bands the Artic Monkeys are not one of them
Having heard the first album more times than i care to remember (50+ at least)
the fact they have a new album Will at least mean I'm subjected to some new crap music when playing poker with my mates.
I heard the new album for the first time on Saturday it hasn't changed my opinion of them.
There are worse bands than them but their are few if any bands so average and dull that have received so much praise. The Artic monkeys geting nominated and winning awards and getting the old nme classic "Best Debut album ever" that they must have said for more than a dozen bands at this stage is the equivalent of Leo from Fair City getting an Oscar.
I just dont understand the fascination with them at all
maybe im getting old.

nyarlothothep

DerekD Goldfish wrote:

*Shudders*

They have been many great Sheffield bands the Artic Monkeys are not one of them
Having heard the first album more times than i care to remember (50+ at least)
the fact they have a new album Will at least mean I'm subjected to some new crap music when playing poker with my mates.
I heard the new album for the first time on Saturday it hasn't changed my opinion of them.
There are worse bands than them but their are few if any bands so average and dull that have received so much praise. The Artic monkeys geting nominated and winning awards and getting the old nme classic "Best Debut album ever" that they must have said for more than a dozen bands at this stage is the equivalent of Leo from Fair City getting an Oscar.
I just dont understand the fascination with them at all
maybe im getting old.

Seconded. Im young and I dont get them! But what about Oasis, equally boring rock band in servitude to their influences with nothing new to offer. New song by the Artic Monkeys is basically when the sun goes down (a lot of the 2nd albums by these bands are the same as the first, no musical progression!, like Franz Ferdinand). And the video is one of the naffest Ive seen since Country House. There will always be meat and potato rock bands to go around and they are invariably more popular than anyone else, Travis, Stereophonics, Oasis etc.

Its just my opinion all the same, but I dont get NME bands or any of the punk influenced music these days. It doesnt grab me, there isnt anything new or original about it, its more about image as opposed to music and the music is pretty crap at that, the guitars sound screechy too. And all the magazines will say its the best album ever. That said the Artic Monkeys nowhere as annoying as Amy Whorehouse.

Again just to make it explicitly clear, all of this is in my opinion. Whatever floats ones boat, it doesnt float mine.

Stompbox

Fantastic album in my opinion. But unfortunately lacks a A Certain Romance style song as an epic finale...

stiofain2005

Have to say the hype surrounding them always put me off but i did really like view from the afternoon off the first one.

I decided to give this a chance as Brianstorm really grew on me. It is not the greatest album ever as im sure the mags will have us believe but it is good. The standout tracks for me would be "Do me a Favour" "Yellow Bricks" and "505" .

qwertplaywert

onlu heard brianstorm,but its wonderful,will properbly buy
first album=hated at first, all hype no substance
reviisted about 6 months later-now i think its one of the modern greats

SligoBrewer

heard 6-7 songs off it.

brilliant..a certain purchase for me on friday

Stompbox

Anyone catch the B-Sides off Brianstorm? Certainly worth
a gander!

iFight

Big let down after first listen. Brianstorm is catchy, i like it, but not much else on there. Dont like the new sound either

Steve_o

It's not bad....i quite enjoy the arctic monkeys, they've got good lyrics and catchy tunes....i give the new album 7/10

SligoBrewer

iFight wrote:

Big let down after first listen. Brianstorm is catchy, i like it, but not much else on there. Dont like the new sound either

listen again... trust me, its a grower

buck65

Leo from Fair City winning an oscar!!!
That is the funniest thing I've read all day now I'm gonna laugh all the way home thank you - can you imagine it....

Liked the 1st album, had my hand on the 2nd album on sat to buy it and decided I wouldn't dunno what came over me but I think I'm monkeyed out of it ....maybe forever. They are completely overhyped and exposed.
Bought Arcade Fire recently - now thats a band.

thebaz

maybe i'm showing my age , but i got it at the weekend on a reccomendation i trusted , and thought it awfull -- similar to later day oasis albums -- i wish i could return it ! -- a follow on classic is like what Arcade Fires have just done -- sorry i see the monkeys following Embrace , datsuns, vines , gomez down the road to nowhere , following an excellent debut.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

PaulieC

it's definitely better today than it was yesterday. Hopefully it will continue to get better everyday:D

Alter-Ego

The difficult second album, as expected.

Not terrible but not great.

artnotort

i really like it.

funky penguin

I love this album. My personal stand out track is Number Nine, beware....something or other. It encapsulates everything I hate abut tabloid media and is cracking, musically.

Dregon

I think its a pretty good album. Not as good as their debut, but has some great tracks on it(505, Fluorescent Adolescent, Teddy Picker, Do Me a Favour). It's harder to get into than their first but i'll give it a 7/10

P.S Anyone see them on Late night with Jools Holland last night? Thought they were impressive

funky penguin

I saqw them play Brianstorm, but what else did they perform?

Dregon

they performed teddy picker and 505 aswell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70HS91KgzU8

csk

Not as good as the first. But the first half of the album is catchy and I really Like Teddy Picker. I'd say its decednt without reaching the heights of first, definitely worth a listen.

Limerick Dude

Yeah been listening to this non stop now, cant get enough of "this house is a circus" great tune.

angelbaby

when i heard it first i wasnt really too impressed by it, thought it was gona be better but its startin to grow on me now.

uniquechic

Deffinatly agree that its a grower. I love brainstorm but its taking me a while to get used to the rest of the songs.Doesnt have as many catchy tunes as the last album. I like it but it isnt great in comparison to the first.

Royale with Cheese

Haven't got this album, no intention of getting it. But I just want to say the Brianstorm is a f*cking shíte song. Really it drives me crazy the amount of airplay it gets.

antod

about 4 good tracks on it brainstorm,florescent adolascent,only one who knows,and the last track 505. they are way over hyped do .

One Cold Hand

Hmmm hope it is a grower. Not too sure about it at the moment, listened to it about 7/8 times and think it's pretty average. 'Do me a favour' is a great song tho'.
Bit wrecked cos loved the first album and have tickets for Malahide!

Blackpitts

there is something I'll never understand and I'm not talking only about the Arctic Monkeys now.
Its stupid that just because fans buy a lot of albums they are deemed overhyped! they sold loads of their first album through good songs and the fans posting them on the net. Fans made up their mind on the monkeys long before the media 'hyped' them.
I think it's quite offensive to think that many of us are buying records just because they are hyped, I reckon the most of us listens to the music and makes own mind up.
Btw, I like this second album and I thank AM for bringing something good in this pretty average level music scene today.