the album leaked...

quote:

Originally posted by sk:
the album leaked...

omg the unforcasted storm is coming!

a very good and honest record.
i m not sure if its better than their debut album.
its definitely a grower.

THE TIMES

How do you follow up the best debut album in years? In Arctic Monkeys’ case, with the best second album. Pete Paphides gets an advance listen to Favourite Worst Nightmare – and it’s a dream come true

THE SUN

And now this is the best second album since Oasis’s (What’s The Story) Morning Glory hit the charts way back in 1995...Those cheeky monkeys — still barely in their 20s — have gone and done it again.

The FLY

3,5/5 stars

NME

9/10

Q

5/5 stars

UNCUT

is a whole lot bigger-sounding than "Whatever People Say. . .", but not in a lame stadium-wannabe way. ..more ambitious, heavier – Jamie Cook’s guitar-playing resembles that of Josh Homme more than Carl Barat in many places ...feels more part of an art-rock lineage than in the blokerock tradition of Oasis et al...The heart of the Arctic Monkeys remains the same, it’s just the packaging that has got bigger and stranger..."Favourite Worst Nightmare" feels, too, like a band asserting themselves...but today I like it even more than "Whatever People Say. . ."

From reading this thread I get the impression that The Arctic Monkey's are a real love em or hate them band - for me I didn't really get into the first album but Brianstorm is excellent and I will check out somne of the other tracks before deciding whether to invest.

I have to say though I don't think I have seen such an agressive thread on this forum before - chill out everyone - go listen to something calming (tubular bells was free in the mail on sunday)

I really disliked the Arctic Monkeys' debut, but I like this one. I agree that "Favourite..." seems more ambitious, it felt to me like they were trying to fit a certain very tight mold on "Whatever People Say..." and were afraid to try new things. That whole album felt very rushed and amateur (not in a good way) leaving me only liking (and being able to stand listening to) one track off the album ("I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor")

I really never liked the Arctic Monkeys much at all. Besides the fact that I didn't like their debut at all, they always seemed liked a snobbish group of losers. Harsh as it is, it was easy for me to not like them.

However, this new one seems to be getting some good reviews and I will have to check it out to see if it is really good. People were mentioning it that it is a different sound and I hope that it is.

Found a stream for this and it is pretty good. It is a breeze to listen to and the songs are pretty catchy. Seems like the material is a bit more serious and "Fluorescent Adolescent" is a great song. Going to give it a few more listens, but right now I am caught up in The Twilight Sad album.

now , i can say for sure that i m in love with that album.definitely a step forward , leaving their other brit contenders miles behind.
they could return with a more commercial album , or a "whatever people say " part 2 but i m glad they didnt.i love their new direction n what they are doing at the moment n i believe that they are capable of even greater things in the near future.

some missing reviews for the album...

Q 5/5 stars
Entetainmentwise 5/5 stars
Gigital Spy 4/5 stars
Independent 4/5 stars
People 4/4 stars

quote:

Originally posted by sk:
some missing reviews for the album...

Q 5/5 stars
Entetainmentwise 5/5 stars
Gigital Spy 4/5 stars
Independent 4/5 stars
People 4/4 stars

plus

Aversion - 5/5 stars
IGN.com - 8,4/10
Planet Sound - 8/10
Twisted Ear - 8/10

question to ...?
why dont you add these reviews in "Arctic Monkeys - music reviews" page?

It's a pretty good album. Nothing new, but nothing bad either. I could see it taking the Hold Steady's place this year as an album that's just plain good rock music.

quote:

Originally posted by Chamberk:
It's a pretty good album. Nothing new, but nothing bad either. I could see it taking the Hold Steady's place this year as an album that's just plain good rock music.

...it's not plain good rock music though. it's very much in the same vein as the klaxons, influenced by the dance, post-punk movement of the late eighties than it is by springsteen.

i'd also suggest that it's a simplification to label the hold steady as "just plain good rock music"... sure they take their cues from the stripped-down rock of later springsteen or the replacements but the lyrical element is so clever i'd feel awkward giving it that tag.

...I'll simplify if I want to? Both bands are more traditionally "rock" than most other pop/folk bands I listen to, thus I refer to them as rock. They've got intelligent lyrics, sure. Doesn't mean they're not rock.

I agree with Bowsie that calling The Hold Steady "just plain good rock music" doesn't quite sound like you're giving The Hold Steady the credit they deserve. (note: That's what it sounds like, I realize that this is not what you are trying to do).

I can't quite see this album making it all that high on many people's year-end list. I like it, it's a fun album, but there've been a lot more quality releases (and Spoon will hopefully kick this album's ass with their godly rockin skillz).

I think calling The Hold Steady plain good rock music is giving them exactly the credit they deserve. They're good, they're fun, they have solid lyrics. Hell, they call themselves bar rock. They're not pretentious at all; why should we be?

I loved the first Arctic Monkeys album right from the get go. This album is a slow grower for me but is worming it's way in with repeated listens. Guess I warmed to the latter tracks first, especially "Old Yellow Bricks" and "505".

Yeah, the first half sounds like the same old Monkeys, while the second half slows down, throws in some ska, and takes a few left turns. Pretty cool. I'm putting it on pretty soon.

quote:

Originally posted by crazed:
Guess I warmed to the latter tracks first, especially "Old Yellow Bricks" and "505".

I completely agree with you crazed. Looking at the album as a whole, I think those are my two favorite tracks. I like how they did some of the same stuff on the front part of the album and changed it up a bit towards the end. The bottom line is that they do the same old stuff and the new stuff at a high quality. Maybe not the best album of the year, but definitely a strong album in its own right.

Arctic Monkeys are great - a rare case of a band living up to the hype and then some - but they're not indie. Domino records are now a major label.