Arctic Monkeys: Favourite Worst Nightmare

The second album by the boys from Sheffield is next up for review. 

I suppose this album was the record that made fans fall in love with the band, and prove they were not a flash in the pan act who would throw it all away. It was also the most anticipated second album since The Stone Roses 'Second Coming' and Oasis 'What's the Story Morning Glory' and yes it did live up to the hype, you best believe it!

Side A opens with ‘Brianstorm’ a ferocious guitar heavy track, it’s instantly recognisable and has become one of the bands most loved songs. The powerful guitars and drums really hit you in the face and the fast vocal delivery make for a truly brilliant opening track. ‘Teddy Picker’ is the next track another fast paced effort this time a groovy bass line as the centrepiece. The chorus is the strong point in this track, it’s super catchy, and the backing vocals add an extra dynamic that we hadn’t really seen from the band up until this point. ‘D is for Dangerous’ is the third track on the album a snarling rock effort, with a powerful vocal delivery, and chant like backing vocals. It’s a true album highlight and one of the most underrated Arctic Monkeys songs. ‘Balaclava’ is the fourth track on Side A its a catchy indie pop song, with a heavy rock riff. Something we’ve become to know the Arctic Monkeys for. Fan favourite ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ is next up with tales of naughtiness and young love, lyrically this is still one of Alex Turner’s best compositions, with brilliant quirky rhymes, word play and alliteration throughout. A classic Arctic Monkeys song. ‘Only Ones Who Know’ ends Side A a slower more sombre effort, it may also be the first ever Arctic Monkeys ballad, and we get the first glimpse of crooning Alex Turner, something we’d become more used to in years to come. I mean let's face it, this is what the band have become known for in there later years.

Side B really hits you in the face. ‘Do Me a Favour’ is the opening track. The drums kick in straight away with an almost military like sound, Alex and the rest of the band then wrap their lyrics and instruments around this beat. Creating a classic sound, at the perfect pace. Lyrically this is another classic Turner masterpiece. Suddenly the song kicks in and the drums elevate the track to another level, it has all built up to this moment and to these profound lines.

‘And to tear apart the ties that bind

Perhaps "fuck off" might be too kind’ only Alex Turner could write those lyrics and make it work. ‘This House is A Circus’ follows on this track has more of a dance element, it reminds me a lot of Klaxons, it highlights small town frustrations with a pop sheen. Another underrated gem. Next is ‘If You Were There Beware’ another snarling rock track, with loud guitars which become subdued as Alex starts singing, then the track almost becomes a film soundtrack with lots of brilliant instrumentation. ‘The Bad Thing’ follows on and this is a jangly take on The Smiths, and Punk Rock, it’s a brilliant listen, that combines a number of genres and ideas together. It goes from a jangly indie pop song to a much darker and heavier effort and then back to indie pop. All in the space of 2 minutes. The penultimate track is ‘Old Yellow Bricks’ a gargantuan track which takes elements from the album as a whole and puts them together to create this track. Brilliant lyrics a groovy bassline and Matt Helders military drums are all present here. ‘505’ ends the album. The sombre nature of the organ intro indicates the end of something. The credits have started to roll. It’s over. A slow paced ballad to end the album but it’s not all as it seems. The song begins to build with drums and bass joining slowly. Turner yearns for a lover throughout this track and references a certain place (505) the song then takes on a new life as the drums and guitars kick in. It’s no longer the slow ballad, that ends the album it’s a track that shows a band on the way. They are the Arctic Monkeys from High Green and they aren’t going anywhere.