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Oh the hype!!!
It's a traditional double-edged sword in
the rock game. It'll sell a buttload of debut singles and quite a few first albums, but it can all come back to bite you in the end
(see Strokes). At any rate, the amount of hype in 2005 behind The Arctic Monkeys
is unlike any I've seen for a band without a record since the Smiths (and they had John Peel behind them!!!). This is a tricky minefield for a band to traverse. I am happy to report that "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" is proof of a job well done in that endeavor.
That being said, let me lay out the cons. This band sounds like the band that plays
in the frat house basement during keggers. You know they type - rambling, shambling, not-at-all-tight R&B that works very well for football chants. Oddly this is a comfortable place to start for an unheard band - you feel like you know them -
but musicianship is NOT their forte. |
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There is a strange precedent for this type of start in Britrock: in the early 80's New Romantic era it was ABC, later on Haircut 100, C-86 had Mighty Mighty, and Primal Scream (even though Bobby Gilespie's group had more of a Byrds thing going on than R&B)... the list goes on. You could tell that they couldn't play at all, but it didn't seem to matter.
Additionally, they have settled upon one of the worst group names in the history of pop music. Honestly, it's awful. I have to admit to steering away from the demos that circulated last year because the name is so terrible. I thought, "What on earth could this band be about with a name like that?" But the other side of that argument can be best summed up by an old grape jelly TV ad…"With a name like Smuckers it has to be good."
And it is good. The true strength of this band is the storytelling. The record is made up of very vivid descriptions of post-adolescent antics and desires (from a cock-er-ney point of view of course) In point of fact they come across not unlike a rock and roll version of Mike Skinner (The Streets). They take the mundane workaday, and drib drab and somehow make compelling poetry.
A lot of that could have to do with lead singer Al Turner's ultra cool delivery. In a song like "Fake Tales of San Francisco" his contempt for people who pump themselves up is palatable: "Get off the bandwagon and put down the handbook!" delivered with a noticeable bite. He has other tricks up his sleeve; take Riot Van, a tender ballad about running from the cops. And it WORKS, I kid you not, great stuff!
They are not afraid to take the hype head on either. In "Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But…" he takes the rock tabloids to task. "…and all your stories are stale. And though you pretend to stand by us, I know you're certain we'll fail." Pretty ballsy from a bunch of kids who have relied on the tabs so far to generate buzz. I like it.
Songs about johns and prostitutes ("When the Sun Goes Down"), sneaking into clubs ("From Ritz To The Rubble"), and chasing girls ("I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor" "Still Take You Home") are all perfect for a good sit down with a few beers whilst the Monkeys speak you all a poem or two.
So, I'm convinced. I kinda believe the hype. While I'm not sure what the future will bring for this band, I do know that what they currently lack in ability to play, they have more than made up for in youthful exuberance and fine tales. Give this record a turn and be whisked away as you tap your feet.
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