The Arctic Monkeys albums
	Band Members:         Alex Turner - vocals, guitar                                    Jamie Cook - guitar                                    Andy Nicholson - bass                                    Matt Helders - drums     Best Album: Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not Biggest Influences: The Strokes, The Jam, The Clash                                                       2006                                                       Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not -  7/8   When an album like this one comes out, you have to put social context on a different level; so I'm setting it all aside for now. First real sentence: This debut album (with such an elegant title) is a nice slice of fast hard rock in an age of well, fast hard rock. What would make an album that has that "00's dance-rock vibe" special would have to be great songs. This the Arctic Monkey's have in spades, with great playing to boot. "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and "Fake Tales of San Francisco" blast the listener away with images of fantasy; "The View of the Afternoon", "Perhaps Vampires is a bit Strong but..", and "Still take You Home" show the clever side of the band with false stops and clever lyrics. The album has great flow and order also, with "Dancing Shoes" and "Riot Van" being examples of putting the right song in the right place on the record, whether it is to relax the listener or propel them into a fury of fits. If the album has flaws it would be playing their immediate influences too obviously, sounding like the Libertines on "Mardy Bum" and like The Strokes on "You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights..."; even these things do not deter from the enjoyment and emotional depth to the album though.   Now on to what every other review will say: as of February, 2006, Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not is the fastest selling debut album of all time. Yeah, the band is young and unexperienced, but they know it and we know it. Since when was that bad? That is the joy of new bands; have we as music lovers lost the joy?!? Critics are trendy and critical these days, and it really seems that everyone in Britain loves the record, and Americans hate it and call it overrated (similar criticism was there last year for The Magic Numbers). Well, maybe its not the 5th BEST ALBUM EVER (as NME painstakingly put it) but its a solid debut for sure. Anyone reading this should really try to see the album just as a fresh, new debut by a band you have heard is good, and be awed by the drumming of Matt Helders, a unique new talent. Don't get angry because it ain't The Clash or Never Mind the Bullocks. The fast paced and enjoyable record does what all debuts of good bands should do and shows potential for a future of great music making. - Trevor e.y. 1.the view of the afternoon- 4 2.i bet you look good on the dancefloor- 4 3.fake tales of sanfrancisco- 4 4.dancing shoes- 4 5.you probably couldn't see for the lights, but you were staring straight at me- 3 6.still take you home- 4 7.riot van- 2 8.red light indicates doors are secured- 4 9.mardy bum- 2 10.perhaps vampires is a bit strong but...- 4 11.when the sun goes down- 3 12.from the ritz to rubble- 4 13.a certain romance- 4                                                             2007                                                             Favourite Worst Nightmare - 6/8     The band quickly, perhaps too quickly, follows up their debut album with another batch of fast catchiness and little ballads. It is the faster songs that work the best still, meaning maybe the band should just stick to those for now. The first five songs show a group maturing at a fast rate: "Brainstorm" and "Teddy Picker" are crazy blasts of fun, "D is for Dangerous" is another superb anthem, "Balaclava" and "Fluorescent Adolescent" are slowed down a bit but still great. The problem is the band doesn't know what to do with it's sound quite yet, and the remainder of the album throws together ballad's with kind of lame rockers. Now "505", "If You Were There, Beware" and "This House is a Circus" are good songs but they get lost in between mishaps like "Only Ones Who Know", "The Bad Things" and the band's worst song yet, "Do Me a Favour". Still, there is much to love on the record as a whole such as the synthy sound of "Old Yellow Bricks" and Matt Helder's superb drumming on EVERY track. Truly, Helders is up there with rock's best drummers already and the drum part to any one of these songs is the most interesting part. If the band can keep making albums that plays off of Helder's impressive drumming and write songs like the best off of Favourite Worst Nightmare and the debut, they will always be a force to be reckoned with...provided they keep experimenting and don't get stuck in a rut. - Trevor e.y. 1.brainstorm- 4 2.teddy picker- 4 3.d is for dangerous- 4 4.balaclava- 3 5.fluorescent adolescent- 4 6.only ones who know- 2 7.do me a favour- 1 8.this house is a circus- 3 9.if you were there, beware- 3 10.the bad thing- 2 11.old yellow bricks- 4 12.505- 3