Arctic Monkeys

Kenickie

Kenickie

Bluelight Crew
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I'm surprised we don't have a thread about them yet, as they are our favorite retard's (Axl Blaze) favorite band. They just released their 5th album, AM. It's the third to be produced by Josh Homme, and it shows more than anything on this one. I saw them a few days ago at Music Midtown, and if the sound hadn't been put together by a bunch of freshman A/V kids it would have been out of this world. Alex Turner has this Teddy Boy thing going on right now which is totally different from the Arctic Monkeys I originally liked which was this weird Jason Schwartzman from Darjeeling Limited thing going on. I hate to say these two bands in the same sentence, but like Vampire Weekend, this is the last album we're going to get out of Alex Turner & Boys before they turn 30, and it certainly has some feeling of...resignation? Exhaustion? Boredom? Their first album was all about the 'UK party scene' and some of my favorite monkeys songs after that are about, girls, and the night, and that crazy feeling at 2am when you're driving home with someone you like and you keep all your shortcuts to yourself.

There isn't any of that, on AM. It's darker, more possessive, more over it. That girl you've been on and off with since you were 24 finally says why do you only call me when you're high? cuz you can't stop calling her at 3am.



Fluorescent Adolescent (pre Josh Homme)




Cornerstone (from Humbug, first of the Josh Homme produced albums, and I think my favorite.)
 


Why'd You Only Ever Call Me When You're High? (from AM)



Do I Wanna Know? (the most Queensy non queens song I've ever heard)
 
I've been a fan since my cousin gave me their demo when i was 10, but then i heard suck it and see, and more recently, some of AM, and I gotta say, I can't stand it. I had tickets to see them at the wiltern, but i sold them after hearing the first few singles off AM.
 
Look good on the dance floor is a killer song but I can't get too excited about anything else they have done.
 
^ maybe one of the stupidest things i've read on bluelight in a while. the forum description is: "Discussion of rock, hip-hop, reggae, rap, punk, alternative, etc.". the forum guidelines are here: Non-Electronic Music Guidelines

where in either does it say "no discussion of mainstream bands"?

if you stop pigeon-holing everything and making ridiculous assumptions based on stereotypes, you'll have less trouble (in here and, certainly, in ce&p).

:)

alasdair
 
I'm honestly surprised. I think this band is one of the few honest to goodness really consistently good bands out there right now. Whatever People Say I am is What I'm Not is a great debut album but you can't honestly expect them to stay in that vein forever? No.1 Party Anthem follows I Bet That You Look Good on The Dancefloor. I don't know if you just wanted them to play their whole first album front to back, but their live set was an excellent mix of all of their albums. Except they didn't play Cornerstone. That was the only one I really missed.
 
I used to love them. 2nd album was my favourite. I saw them live a few times and was disappointed with them each time, kinda lost my love for them.
 
alasdairm said:
^ maybe one of the stupidest things i've read on bluelight in a while. the forum description is: "Discussion of rock, hip-hop, reggae, rap, punk, alternative, etc.". the forum guidelines are here: Non-Electronic Music Guidelines

where in either does it say "no discussion of mainstream bands"?

if you stop pigeon-holing everything and making ridiculous assumptions based on stereotypes, you'll have less trouble (in here and, certainly, in ce&p).

:)

alasdair
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I started a thread on foxygen and it got shut down quick b/c they were "so six months ago" -true story.
 
Kenickie said:
I'm honestly surprised. I think this band is one of the few honest to goodness really consistently good bands out there right now. Whatever People Say I am is What I'm Not is a great debut album but you can't honestly expect them to stay in that vein forever? No.1 Party Anthem follows I Bet That You Look Good on The Dancefloor. I don't know if you just wanted them to play their whole first album front to back, but their live set was an excellent mix of all of their albums. Except they didn't play Cornerstone. That was the only one I really missed.
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I dunno, I saw them after Humbug in London while visiting family, and they basically played the new songs with brianstorm, i bet you look good on the dancefloor, and fluorescent adolescent mixed in, and if it's gonna be like that but with AM tracks, I want no part in their live shows.

And FWN was my favorite album.
 
1st album was a masterpiece. Awesome drinking record cover to cover.
2nd album was good. 4 or 5 really strong tracks.
3rd - whatever album now... Meh... Not complete shit but pretty close to it.

Highly recommend 'whatever people say I am I'm not'. Good simple story telling pentatonic rock. 'Perhaps vampires a bit strong but...' The highlight
 
quiet roar said:
Look good on the dance floor is a killer song but I can't get too excited about anything else they have done.
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my band used to do the best cover of this song a couple years ago...

ok the Arctic Monkeys are my all-time favorite band. their first three albums were killer! here are my two favorite songs:



and



the first albums were totally UK dance-rock party albums, and that's how my band kinda sounds like, and I basically try to emulate their drummer's style (Matt Helders)

new Arctic Monkeys - it took me a while for this to sink in, but they will never be the same band they once were. they have matured and reached different heights. look at Alex Turner from back in the day, he used to sing in blue jeans and a local band's t-shirt, now he is trying to be Elvis with his slicked back hair and UK-Northern-Soul swag and polished boots

that being said I think their new album is good, and it's a lot lot lot better than "Suck It and See"

I could go on forever about them, but I won't. all I will say is that they're playing a show right down the street from my crib in a month, and this will be the fourth time I've seen them
 
^ their live set is really good now. Enough material that's different enough to make a killer gig whatever mix of album tunes they play. Seen them a few times. I think they're great live. Friends of mine don't like the virtual sounds like album gig but I love them live. Their songs are strong enough to pull off with barebones 4 piece instrumentation.
Sure, they don't have dancers and stupid pyros and 10000 moving lights to 'make a good show' but if the songs are good you don't need to rely on that crap.
Good rock band. Love WEPSIN and whatever that 2nd album is called. Humbug - And the 4th album are not great. AM is good though... I thought they were over but AM has enough good tracks to revive their relivence
 
It's funny, the first thing I thought when I heard their latest album was that they wasted their drummer on it. ;) Matt Helders is a beast. I have seen them more than a couple of times and they are one of a handful of current bands who I who drop everything when they come to town and get tickets.

 
One Thousand Words said:
It's funny, the first thing I thought when I heard their latest album was that they wasted their drummer on it. ;) Matt Helders is a beast.
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yeah I've got this vibe on their last two albums Suck It And See and AM. but hey - Matt I guess just wants to go in a new direction. I think he really likes singing back-up vocals and is more focusing on that (think on "Do I Wanna Know?" which is incidentally my fave song on the new album)

THIS IS THE BEST DRUM PERFORMANCE ON ANY SONG, EVER:



just hearing that beat has me going fucking nuts in my head! fuck man, I gotta calm down!!

I like Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age, and Matt Helders and Alex Turner (essentially the spokesmen for the Monkeys) pretty much have always said that they are their favorite band, but I honestly wish AM never joined forces with Josh Homme in the studio. it's just that ever since Humbug I feel AM has been more Josh Homme than AM

oh and very well-written initial post about the Arctic Monkeys, Keni. I think you really get them, and you basically said what I was trying to say just a lot better with that fancy Arctic-Monkeys-as-a-girl-you-like metaphor
 
ok, seriously, I gave AM a second shot and its still crap IMO, and suck it and see is almost as bad. The lyrical genius is gone! The melodies are uncreative! All of the singles have THE SAME EXACT CHORD PROGRESSION.
 
lol

i didn't really like their other albums. Humbug, and that song Fluorescent Adolescent, but for me they were just kind of meh until Humbug. I wouldn't change the song if it came on, but i wouldn't search them out either. I guess I relate more to this one. walking around the house in my sky blue Lacoste and your knee socks. axl, you need to keep giving Pander the Lacoste gift cards from your aunt.

maybe i just don't like partying as much as i like complicated sex and organic cigarettes and cough drops and Lacoste.
 
you know what's weird? I truly feel as if I have grown up along with the Arctic Monkeys. those lads are about the exact same age as me, and their first three or so albums I was all about partying it up and getting smashed at the pub, and spewing vitriol at the lame people surrounding me, like some drugged out and jaded sociologist. but now as I get older I would much rather have a deep conversation with the woman that I love, while our bodies are intertwined, on a Saturday night

plus Alex Turner seriously copies my swag nowadays - I've got that polished black leather boots and Elvis hair down pat ;)

the first three Arctic Monkeys albums were the most influential to me as a drummer and as a man. it isn't fair to expect a band to never mature their sound, and now the AM are an entirely different sounding band. which isn't good or bad, I still like their tunes - it just is

as an aside, the best thing about the Arctic Monkeys is the sheer quality of the plethora of their B-sides. no other band can compete. this song always makes me want to bang it out with the latest female of my interest:



or for all like Keni who think New AM > Old AM, here is a B-Sides from their newest album (damn you Alex Turner, I have that exact same shirt):

 
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