Music
Arctic Monkeys — Favourite Worst Nightmare
Favourite Worst Nightmare
Domino/Outside
Angela Kozak (CHARTattack)
04/24/2007 7:43pm

Considering
how quickly the Arctic Monkeys rose to fame, it's hardly surprising
they've already changed so much since last year's debut album. Whatever
People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not reflected the band's adolescence
through hyperactive, hip-hop-inspired rock about growing up in north
England, all of which is a lot less evident in Favourite Worst
Nightmare. As a whole, this record is tighter, fuller and a lot
moodier, sticking closer to the darker tones of "Vampires" than the
poppier "Mardy Bum." Funky bass lines pilot choppy tracks "Teddy
Picker" and "Balaclava," whereas "Brianstorm" and "Do Me A Favour" are
souped-up and aggressive. The band's character sketches are here too,
but even they have grown into stories about thieves, adultery and empty
dreams. The only song on here that would have fit in with their first
release is standout "Fluorescent Adolescent," which revisits and
improves the Monkeys' older formula of caustic narrative mixed with
clever guitar rock. Though considerably less marketable than their
debut album, Favourite Worst Nightmare is a fuller and more developed
effort from a band growing at an alarmingly fast rate. If people can't
deal with their departure from wide-eyed angular newbies, it's their
loss.
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