Tag Archives: arctic monkeys

#614: Arctic Monkeys – If You Were There, Beware

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‘If You Were There, Beware’ was always a highlight of mine from Favourite Worst Nightmare. Bought that album from Woolworth’s in about the first or second week it was released in April 2007. It was a big deal. A year and a bit had just passed and the biggest UK band of 2006 had come back with their second record. I think it’s always been my favourite album by the group. It was a bit like their first album but very beefy in its production. And the songs are good too.

Anyway, ‘This House Is a Circus’ seamlessly transitions into ‘If You Were There’ – one of the best moments on Nightmare – and the latter begins with an unforgettable riff that drew 12 year old me to it immediately. All the other instruments join in for the emphatic introduction which eventually give way to Alex Turner’s vocals for the first verse. All this time I’ve never put any thought into what the song was about; the vocal melody is so infectious that it just never came to mind. Though reading up on the lyrics (and just seeing fan interpretations) it’s somewhat agreed that it’s about the British tabloid press and the vulture-like manner in which they gather information from celebrities or the people they’re involved with.

Looking back on Arctic Monkeys’ discography now, it’s not so surprising that the band followed this up with Humbug a couple years later. I have a vague memory of people being slightly put off by the change in sound they undertook. Though evidence of what was to come was in this song all along. Matt Helders carries the track with some fantastic drum work, really leading the track’s rhythm when the song slows down just over a minute in. And overall the song’s direction changes so many times it’s as if there are four songs in one. It’s a mammoth of a song and maybe, just maybe, one of their most ambitious at that point.

My iPod #397: Arctic Monkeys – From the Ritz to the Rubble

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Like “Fake Tales of San Francisco”, the version of “From the Ritz to the Rubble” I listen to can be found on the EP “Five Minutes with Arctic Monkeys”. There aren’t any major differences between that version and the re-recorded take on “Whatever People Say….”. The only one I can think of at the top of my head is the ending bass. Even so, the version you can hear above was the one I was listening to waaaay before the album was released and therefore I got used to seeing that as the official version. Though both tracks were recorded in a totally different label, I have to say that I feel “Five Minutes with Arctic Monkeys” contains the better takes of both songs.

Though the majority of you may recognise the track as the penultimate offering of Arctic Monkeys’ phenomenal debut from 2006, “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”, an album about a Saturday night out in Sheffield. Although “A Certain Romance” brings the album to a close, I consider “From the Ritz to the Rubble” to be night-out concept’s ending, coming from a person who wakes up on the Sunday morning thinking ‘what the fuck was that all about?’. Though not before a recalling of events involving a power-mad bouncer at the entrance of a club, which funnily isn’t all that important as Turner shrugs it off claiming it as ‘a story to tell you’.

The song’s main message concerns how people reflect on the things they’ve done on a drunk night out, and how amazingly different things appear to be the morning after. It is also one of the most energetic tracks on the Monkeys’ debut; many cymbals crash, a lot of alternating guitar lines occur which pan from one ear to the other, and plus it has a groovy bassline which you can never go wrong with. One to get the blood rushing.

My iPod #353: Arctic Monkeys – Fake Tales of San Francisco

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Let me just specify that the “Fake Tales of San Francisco” that I regularly listen to that is the version on Arctic Monkeys’ first EP “Five Minutes with Arctic Monkeys”, an EP that is apparently very rare and released before the band had a record deal. The version of the song on that is basically the same as the one on the band’s debut album, except for a change of words in one particular line, but I generally prefer this version. It was the first song I heard by Arctic Monkeys when its video played on MTV2, it was good new music (in 2005) which was nice to see, but I don’t think I expect them to achieve the great success that was coming their way very soon. A few months later, I think.

The song is Alex Turner observing all these things going on around him, possibly at a gig he is attending, but the emphasis of the track is on the band who chat shit and tell stories that are very hard to believe. Alex is not having any of it, and coins phrases that are probably used on a daily basis by many other people who find themselves in the same situation. How many of you have always wanted to call someone out on their bullshit by saying something along the lines of “You’re not from New York City, you’re from Rotherham”. Some very clever lyrics on this track that’s for sure.

Seems to me that Turner would like to be from New York City with that accent he’s got on nowadays. “AM”‘s alright, but I’ll stick with the band’s early material.

My iPod #281: Arctic Monkeys – Do Me a Favour

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“Do Me a Favour” is a song from Arctic Monkeys’ second album “Favourite Worst Nightmare”. Have I mentioned that this my favourite album of theirs? I may have done before. I’ll assume that I’ve stated why that is my opinion, so I won’t go into that again.

Placed after the mellowest track on the album, “Do Me a Favour” starts off the second half of “Nightmare” with a minor-key track about the end of a relationship from the point of view of a man who has cheated on his girlfriend and feeling so guilty about it eventually tells her.

The track begins with ominous rolls on the tom-toms, followed by ascending bass line and Alex Turner’s vocals. It continues to slowly build brick by brick (hehe), as the guitars are introduced later on. The majority of “Favour” is calmly delivered, before launching into the explosion near the end where Turner sings the last verse and everything comes to a close.

As it is only an album track, there is not much extra information I am able to provide. Sorry. The point is, it’s a decent one. If you haven’t heard it, spare a few minutes.

My iPod #239: Arctic Monkeys – Dangerous Animals

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So…… “Humbug”, the album where Arctic Monkeys started to change. Or at least embarked on a different direction in terms of sound. The majority of band members grew their hair longer, the recording process took place in California and was overlooked by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, all of which contributed to the moodiest* ten songs that the group have released.

It was 2009, and the Monkeys hadn’t released an album for two years. “Crying Lightning” came out as the first single; many people were impressed. I didn’t like it that much on first listen but it has grown on me since. Nevertheless, The Monkeys were back.

The album was released, and I thought I might as well hear it. It’s a new Arctic Monkeys album, you know? I downloaded the individual songs, listened to the whole thing throughout, and didn’t think a lot if it… but “Dangerous Animals” though. That got me.

“Dangerous Animals” is the third track, coming after “Crying Lightning”. Straight up, it is a song about sex. If you look at the lyrics, and the title you’ll probably understand why eventually.

It is a great track though. The stomping of the drums, the catchy guitar hook that never ceases and repeats until it’s embedded in your brain…. The title being spelt out during the chorus. Ah, man. It’s the only one from “Humbug” I have on my iPod. Just because it sounded like something that could have been on “FWN”.

A cool track on an alright album.

*Not moody as in depressing, but moody as in it covers a whole range of moods. If you get what I’m trying to say.