Review
Arctic Monkeys' CD is one to skip
April 27, 2007
The biggest thing I am hating about music right now, and the people who listen to music for that matter, is how it makes them act. While it is perfectly normal and OK to be influenced by your favorite music genre or compact disc collection, letting it define you as a human being is a bit pathetic.
"Favourite Worst Nightmare" by Arctic Monkeys feels like that kind of CD. It's the kind of CD you would buy right before hitting up Urban Outfitters to get tight, overly distressed jeans. This is the CD you would put in your collection just to tell people that you had it, but you'd skip over it if one of the songs came up in your playlist.
I know they have been playing songs by the Arctic Monkeys, either off this album or their extended play, Who the Fuck are Arctic Monkeys? on the radio, but I don't see what the point of that is.
They could have easily played any song by The Killers and no one would know the difference. I understand using that faraway sounding, metallic voice distortion on one or two songs to add depth, but I can't take an entire album of it. And unfortunately, because I am so sick of that voice, it makes me completely turned off to the lyrics.
They're not even terrible lyrics, but when combined with the tone of the voice and bad guitar riffs, I think the Arctic Monkeys sound like the bastard, hell-beast child of The Killers and Radiohead.
The fourth track on the CD "Balaclava," was the only song that could keep my attention for more than 30 seconds because it was quicker and had a different beat then the rest of the CD.
In the interludes between the chorus and lyrics, I could almost hear some old-school metal in the guitars.
However, during the lyrics, the rhythm slowed to a quicker ska-like beat. It was a weird song, but an interesting song. And to me, even "weird" makes a better song than "cookie-cutter." The song right after that isn't too bad either. It's called "Fluorescent Adolescent," which I just find simply charming since the title rhymes.
And, it's filled with quirky but sexy British slang like "daft" and "slag," which is refreshing lingo after hearing so many people say something ignorant like, "Did you know that fag means cigarette in England?" and still think they're cultured.
The Arctic Monkeys will be playing at First Avenue in Minneapolis May 7.
Against my better judgment, I am trying to be optimistic, and I'll probably go. This album could be an over-produced mishap, a fluke. There are still bands that sound better live than recorded.
Personally, I like to place my money on the pony with the best odds. Since "Favourite Worst Nightmare" has only two good songs out of 12, I suggest that it go the way of Barbaro (although I don't think CDs make good glue).
Don't spend your money on something that's only going to bring eight minutes of joy to your life.
And that's not just a music tip, that's a life lesson.
Jenna Lee is a student at UW-River Falls.