Frozen Chimpanzees
So everywhere I look these days, some publication or blog is salivating all over Arctic Monkeys, the UK's hottest new import. They were selling out shows in London before they had ever recorded an album. Many have already crowned them as THE band of 2006, the successor to Clap Your Hands Say Overrated's throne. And once again, I don't quite understand the hype. I'm not the type of person that dislikes a band just because the indie elite deems their CD a "must-have." I love many bands and musicians that have been hyped to death. I usually enjoy Britrock but right now Arctic Monkeys are leaving me a little lukewarm. I haven't heard all of "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" so I'm trying not to make a definitive opinion yet.
Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
This is a song perfect for flailing pasty white boys in the pit. Feel the aggressive testosterone!
Arctic Monkeys - Fake Tales of San Francisco (expired)
Their label has some demo mp3's if you're interested.
Arctic Monkeys: Next Big Thing? What do you think?
Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
This is a song perfect for flailing pasty white boys in the pit. Feel the aggressive testosterone!
Arctic Monkeys - Fake Tales of San Francisco (expired)
Their label has some demo mp3's if you're interested.
Arctic Monkeys: Next Big Thing? What do you think?
posted by Traci at 2:40 AM
5 Comments:
hmmm... catchy. not bad, but not amazing.
I heard a review of them on NPR last night... don't know why I hadn't heard of them before. I blame the fact that I have an office mate and cannot listen to KEXP anymore in the office.. but that's beside the point.
ANYWAY, what I heard on NPR did not strike me at all. The music didn't sound original; it just sounded like another band jumping on the garage-punk wagon.
NPR said the hook was in the ability of the youth in the UK to grab the local references in the lyrics and accept it as truly THEIR music... music that clearly speaks to them on a geographic level, as well as social level. I don't think this will translate well in the US.
While what I heard was indeed catchy, it also blended in with what I've already heard in various other garage/dance punk bands. Nothing stands out to me, and I'm not a teenager from Sheffield.
Nacho,
Thanks for sharing that. The part about the UK youth embracing Arctic Monkeys because of the local references makes sense...I have read kudos for their lyrics from several young British blokes. But I'm not so sure that it won't translate to a US audience, think of all the British/Scottish bands with UK references in their songs that have gained popularity here. For Americans, there's a certain allure to British rock bands. Arctic Monkeys are planning several (I think 3) North American tours, so I think they are going to achieve some success here, despite their unoriginal music.
p.s. headphones are your best friend when you have an office mate. When I shared an office with my supervisor, the headphone cord was my lifeline.
I pass on them like I did last year with Clap You Hand etc etc. Neither do anything for me.
This is Casey.
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