Reviews (page 13 of 15)
Everyone makes a big deal about these guys… Kind of reminds me of that early 2000’s garage rock revival… The Hives… Franz Ferdinand… a little White Stripes / Strokes but more and British. I liked this kind of music a lot around 2001 - 2005, but they kind of missed me since this came out in 2006. I do have to say this is a very good exhibit of the style. I wish I knew the songs better. Biggest surprise: Mardy Bum. I do wish this was less hot... it's very 2006 compressed. A 4/5 for me, though. Will listen again.
Meh
feels a bit dated and repetitive, but each track is a classic in it's own right. Solid album
3 - I can see myself liking this more in the future, but as it stands, I'm comfortable with a 3. It can feel a bit repetitive, and only, like, one or two songs stood out from the bunch to me. But yeah, I'm sure it'll click when I revisit it eventually.
Guay.
Hadn't heard most of these songs before - in fact I only know I had heard one or two. They all sound pretty similar to one another lol. I did like the pace and mild rock - reminds me of some of Fall Out Boys' subtler songs, which I liked. Good first album to start with.
Ugh.
what can I say that hasnt been said ? - great energetic really different fun sound - playful full bore rock. yeah!
I had never heard this album before. I’ve played it a few times. It’s a good listen. There are some terrific lyrics here - When The Sun Goes Down is terrific. So is Fake Tales Of San Francisco. I get the feeling they were listening to those early Strokes records. They can really rock but their overall approach is quite diverse. I enjoyed it.
I was listening to this album when Hal, my 18 year old son, wandered into my office. "Ah," he exclaimed, "the only Arctic Monkeys album I really like!" "oh, why's that, then?", I ask. "It doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's energetic, and it feels real." True that. This is one really captures the feeling of a young person enjoying the nightlife in a provincial town. And "I bet you look good on the dance floor" is a bangin' tune. Thumbs up!
Great songs
First time listening to Arctic Monkeys. The music was pretty decent. Not a fan of the vocals though. The combination of the English accent, the speak-sing, and distortion annoyed me at times.
Very cohesive, but may be so much that the songs sound too much alike. electric guitar heavy rock album
Big soft spot for this album
Good album. To me it's mostly punk-rock, which is my favorite genre.
Very good
Energetic, knowingly rebellious British rock with a knack for great melodies? Count me in.
It's a pretty decent album, but I'm not sure why it's on this list. Artic Monkeys have better albums and there are better and more influential examples of the style.
Ok. "I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor" is a good song and the rest is forgettable, insincere-feeling Britpop. Not enough ire to be punk, too loose and loud to be polished pop, too many words and too little melody to be notable in any way. Guitar player writes really repetitive stuff, but just obtrusive enough that you can't forget he's there. If there are two of them, it's a crime against imagination. Musicians like Coltrane were widely lauded for the notes they didn't play -- their sense of space. I don't think the vocalist is familiar with that idea.
I feel like I could like them if they toned down the poppiness. Some cool baselines.
Overhyped
Better than their recent offerings. Here the singer doesn't really try to sing, but makes up for that with energy
Good
The album apparently is in the "indie" genre but it wasn't overtly indie music to me. There are elements of it but more rock if anything. With that said I cannot recall one song or part that is particularly noteworthy or to point to and say listen to this. It is better than a 2 but not really a 3.
Hmm, nah. I love rock music (being a rock drummer myself), but this just sounds like Weatherspoons-core to my ears. I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor is so irritating.
Some songs are similar. But liked it in general!
Very good 00s garage rock, some songs are crispy, some less but every single song on that album is at least semi-enjoyable. 4 stars
Listened Before? N This was pretty good. Listened multiple times. I think I'll add this one to the rotation for a bit. Added to Library? Y Songs added to Playlist: I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
Boom! A superb debut album as the Arctic Monkeys cam swaggering into the public consciousness. Banging guitar riffs and frenetic drumming underlie the urban poetry of a young Alex Turner, describing the trials and tribulations of a 20-something Steel City native.
Not bad but too bad it's so popular.
Wonderful lyrics, clever songs
better than i was expecting having only heard 505!!
Brilliant and of its time. Exactly what was needed.
I have really tried to start getting into Arctic Monkeys, but they are really hit or miss for me. Alex Turner's vocals and lyricism is best on tracks such as Marty Bum or When the Sun Goes Down. I like how this album gives strong vibes of a danceable rock and roll sound, but I think they may have lost that with all of the albums following. Stand out track: Mardy Bum
This album was better than expected. It's pretty solid and a good rocking time. The album carries a consistent vibe, but none of the songs really stand out to me. This would probably be great for some who just wants to jam to punk-ish rock. The first song has cool mixing, when listening with headphones the rhythm guitar goes back and forth between headphones Favorite Track: The View From The Afternoon
Not my favorite Arctic Monkey’s album but still some solid sounds and clever lyrics…
Easy 3, maybe a 4 on repeated listens. Super catchy, surprisingly danceable
Quintessential Brit pop/rock zone, and like it. Always a fan of Alex Turner’s matter-of-fact and sometimes frantic/desperate delivery, and the song writing is very good. If someone else was singing I probably wouldn’t like this too much That being said , this thing thrashes around a little too much and loses a little bit off my attention, I’d give I’d a decent 3
I don't care what anyone else tells me, I can't stand the Arctic Monkeys and I think they suck.
Day 1
ok
Gekend album. Staan goeie nummers tussen.
Excellent
From the Ritz to the Rubble When the Sun Goes Down I Bet You Look Good on the Dance floor. Enuf said. One of the best Artic Monkey albums. Looking forward now to Favourite Worst Nightmare album to come up for review.
I absolutely hate this band and always have. Having said that, the only 3 songs of Arctic Monkeys I could ever listen to are all on this album (Fake Tales of San Francisco, Mardy Bum and When The Sun Goes Down), They remind me of student days so maybe it's more the nostalgia than the music!
Britisk 00’er indierock, catchy
When this album came out it sounded fresh and new - now it’s a tattoo of the era - it defines a chunk of the sound of the decade it resides in but it’s still is a good record… well balanced and paced - some good bangers - but maybe because it’s in the awkward time where it’s not old enough to be back in fashion and not new enough to not sound tired, it just does not feel like a timeless record
One of the defining albums of the indie rock genre. The songwriting is incredible on this album, and it takes you through a vigorous journey. -Klep
Strange to think this is now a classic when I recall it being quite new, with a couple of tracks now popular wedding fodder. Solid album, although not new to me
Ok. Prefer AM as an album
Incredible debut, this is everything indie rock should be. Favourites: All of them
I was waiting for this to turn up. To answer Wardy's comment - yes, peak Monkeys. There were rumblings of this band when I was in Sheffield in 2005 and it didn't disappoint.
Peak Monkeys? Discuss.
Tiresome, noisy, formulaic rock-pop. Don't listen to the hype.
3,5
Not for me. Too frenetic. Two stars.
A very solid album with good tunes.
Arctic Monkeys were one of the many mid-2000's guitar rock indie bands that were dubbed "saviors of rock." This album didn't save rock music, because rock music didn't need saving. It's just a great rock album from a great rock band, but rock music didn't dominate the airwaves like it once did. This album sounds a lot like other mid-2000's indie guitar rock. But what sets it apart is the raw energy, and a bit of extra spice in the songwriting. A perfect example is at 1:40 in Fake Tales of San Francisco. It's far from my favorite song on the album, and starts off pretty tame and cookie-cutter. But at 1:40, the song shifts in an unexpected yet completely logical way, the energy builds, and it becomes something special. Moments like this keep this album feeling fresh to this day.
It's good to hear in the background but most musics sound the same for me, like a "Artic Monkeys" formula. Which is not bad for a single song, but for a entire album is a bit repetitive for me.
Started strong but faded about half way. I really don't like the vocals and, other than the main single ("..dance floor..") nothing stood out at all
Very much my style of music. I love the punk style and driving guitar and drums. Lyrics and lead vocals are great. Very British.
I feel like when I listened to this in the mid-2000's it rewired my brain. Now though... like it's good, but it's too punk for my day to day honestly.
So many awesome tracks. Has been in rotation for me since ‘06.
Outstanding. I listened 5 x today.
cannot get it out of my head that one of the b-sides for i bet that you look good on the dancefloor is called Chun Li Flying Bird Kick and is an instrumental. thats not what the move is called. also fun fact for quite a while a certain romance would play whenever i was finished listening to is this it for way too long so it was one of my top songs on last.fm for a month or so even though i never went out of my way to listen to it a single time Favorite Tracks: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But..., A Certain Romance 4/5
sounds like a surfer boy album. I like "A Certain Romance" the most.
a bit loud? nothing stood out, probably deserves a second listen
Heard it before?: Yes Enjoy it?: it’s hard not to enjoy this one, quintessential indie record of the 21st century and for me, this is peak AM, solid run of tracks and their vast backing guitars/sounds Favourite song: Track 8 - Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured
Hmm, this is at times OK, but mostly is a type of energetic and upbeat that I'm not really a fan of.
Very good album. I was obsessed w/ Favourite Worst Nightmare, and this doesn't quite reach those heights, but it's not super far off. 4/5
Don’t really vibe with later Arctic Monkeys, but this is pretty solid stuff. There’s a punk edge that I’m here for, and it can get almost delightfully snobby. Still a little too poppy for my tastes sometimes but not bad. C+
I'm not super well versed in the article mokneys catalog but with ny limited knowledge I would say this is just as catchy and nice as anything that hit the charts. But the other edge to that is it does not feel like they have grown or evolved at all either. Amd that bothers me. In 20 years there should be some decent change. Not saying you have to leave yr old fans behind but take them on a journey with you. More meta things aside I can't deny its a good listen. 3*
Honestly, much better then I expected. I was aware that many people thought this was Arctic Monkey’s best, and while the only project I heard from them was the very mainstream and successful AM, I really enjoyed this. The songs pop off and stay constantly good with some left hooks that help give this project staying power. Not Bad at All! 9/10
People are vampires ruins it
Makes me happy cos it's great but also makes me sad cos they're shit now.
Perfection, even Riot Van. What happened to them.
This is such a fun album, light and catchy with a decent amount of depth too.
I listened to 2 other albums from this band right after this one, love their sound.
Some Good, some alright, some MEH. Best: "Mardy Bum"
1.7 really was hoping to have my mind changed about AM but alas.... just very boring nothing exciting going on, all the songs sound pretty much the same. fave songs: a certain romance
-i am SOO EXCITED about this -i LOVE the arctic monkeys, one of my favorites -i have listened to a few songs on this album but not all of them -the view from the afternoon is a GREAT album opener -i LOVE i bet you look good on the dancefloor -fake tales of san fran is a groovy fun bop -the guitar in arctic monkeys songs is some of my favorite guitar ever (brian may in queen is first place tho) -young alex turner you are everything to me -haven’t actually heard you probably couldn’t see for the lights but i really like it -vampires is so good…. -GUITAR AT THE END OF VAMPIRES IS CRAZY -LOOOOVE when the sun goes down -favorites: i bet you look good on the dancefloor, mardy bum, when the sun goes down, i bet you look good on the dancefloor -definitely 5 stars for me
Gud
The ferociousness of this debut is unparalleled. Not a single miss - just a bunch of young Northerners writing about hitting the town and running from cops. 17 years later, I still know all the lyrics by heart, many bruises have been acquired "dancing" to 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor', and in the meantime no other band has released anything close to 'You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights but You Were Staring Straight at Me'. Goddamn I miss this version of Arctic Monkeys...
Did Arctic Monkeys come out strong or what? Their debut album never misses a moment as they take you on a journey through Sheffield from the viewpoint of a young man who just wants dancing and romancing. I sorely miss this era of those freezing primates.
I’ve never heard any songs on this album and they are all great! The whole album is like a movie about bored young men looking for a good time in some town I never heard of in northern England. And they happen to be in a garage band, trying to make it big and get the hell out.
this album was cool, though the songs started to run together for me after the first handful of tracks. definitely a good debut for any band though I don't really have any nostalgia for it personally. also, I never really looked closely at the album cover until now. obviously I knew this was not the case, but in my mind I just always assumed the guy smoking a cigarette on the cover was adam sandler. apparently I'm not alone in thinking this. do with that information what you will. favorites: I bet you look good on the dancefloor, when the sun goes down
well, this was a pleasant surprise. i have heard of this band, of course, but had never listened to one note of this band. until today. this album kicked ass. the band plays tight. the bass guitarist is prominent throughout, which i love. i can’t say enough good things about this album. great mix of faster and slower songs. just an all around good rock and roll record. highlights: “the view from the afternoon”, “perhaps vampires is a bit strong but…”, “from the ritz to the rubble”.
This is the very epitome of a three-star album. The music on this album is absolutely fine. There is nothing outstanding about it. There is nothing bad about it. It's just really music. I would put this on a music playlist to walk around a city and give me a pep in my step any day. Pick any song. That's the song to walk around a city to. Do you want a song to really connect to you on emotional level? Look elsewhere.
This is a great album. English hard rock with done humor sprinkled in.
Fun danceable rock.
I bloody love this album. No need for me to listen today. I listen enough.
Pleasantly surprised. Nice mix on the music and vocals. Will listen to again
great guitar sound.
Pretty solid indie rock, Dance floor is still a banger
Drums!!!! Vocals and lyrics are strong and interesting. Liked much of it but the repetition of the guitar was loud and annoying way too often overtaking the songs.
Raucous Brit punk rock and roll.
I like the arctic monkeys, but this album in no way belongs on a list of the best albums of anything ever. 2/5
Een keer terecht een debuutalbum. Het hoogtepunt van de Arctic Monkeys. Toen deze uitkwam heb ik deze vaak gedraaid, samen met Inside In/Inside Out van The Kooks. Ik zie nu dat ze op dezelfde dag uitkwamen ook. Het lijkt ook goed de tand des tijds te doorstaan. Makkelijke 5 sterren.
A great debut from the Arctic Monkeys. Revitalised the British indie scene with their catchy tunes and funky hooks. 8.5/10
Very nice debut album and always glad to see that great rock is not a thing of the past
Could be out of the affect from JOJO... I'm quite alright with this type of rock
This is an album I can listen to over and over again. It’s fun music, with a good rock background, and something about it feels defiant and youthful, yet doesn’t cater to the young teeny bopper type. I’ve heard a few songs from this album on their own and liked them, and now I need the whole album! Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: yes Favourite Song: Still Take You Home
Reminds me of things I like but I'm not in the mood today. Possibly a different day I'd love it. Actually, wait, you know what? It grew on me.
Funnily enough, Arctic Monkeys was the indie band I liked the least. I was a huge fan of Maximo Park and Bloc Party. But it seems like the Monkeys outshone them both by quite a margin.
Kind of punky, raw rock
From start to finish, this is an excellent album. Every single song here is close to perfect, and even the lackluster tracks still a solid 7/10. For the Arctic Monkeys, this is as good as it gets. Highly recommended, 5/5.
The most Sheffield album you'll ever hear. All killer, no filler.
listened to again strong indie rock record
Starting to hear the evolution of their current sound!
they're insipid
I always thought Favorite Worst Nightmare was the better album. This one has the attitude but not the songs or flow. But it's still really good.
Okay weird I think I’ve never consciously listened to the Arctic Monkeys before. Enjoyed it, it wowed me about as much as any standard alternative album could, but seems like the type that grows on your over multiple listens. 3.5/5
Listened to this album a ton in early high school so nostalgic factor is high. I still find it pretty fun. Groovin basslines, crashing drums and teenage angst
One of the best albums to soundtrack Britain's era of neglect and decadence. Everything's filthy and crumbling and hasn't been maintained since Thatcher (RIH), so why not try to have as good of a time as possible until the wheels really fall off? This albums smells like tobacco tar and alcohol breath and feels like going on the best pub crawl of your life with your best mates. The riffs are impeccable, the hooks annoyingly sticky and the entire album is tightly packed into a neat 40-minute package-- nothing sticks around too long to get on your nerves. Sometimes the Brits really are onto something when it comes to hype. A shitfaced 4/5, trying not to black out at the kebab shop at 1am.
Banging album. It’s a 10/10. With cutting lyrics and driving beats from top to bottom it’s an immaculate portrayal of the northern youth experience in the early 2000s. Alex Turner’s wit is unmatched. Although it’s not my favourite monkeys record I could argue it’s their best. One of the best debuts of all time.
Always good
Yes. A masterpiece.
I don’t know why I can’t get into this album/band. I feel like their guitars have the same tone in each song. Not saying it’s bad, probably just not for me.
One of the best debut albums ever.
Ok, that's neat. The brain says 4, but the heart says 5
Not exactly what I would consider an essential album experience, but many of these songs are absolute all-timers! The riffs throughout absolutely RIP!!! (Favorite Tracks: I Bet That You Look Good on the Dance Floor, Mardy Bum, When The Sun Goes Down)
We runnin from the popo fo so
Acho que já ouvi alguma coisa deles, é um indie que conheço, mas não pretendo escutar novamente.
Very fun!
THIS SHIT IS SO CATCHY the grooves are astronomical idk this album scratches the exact itch in the brain that makes me want to pick up my guitar n jam. this is arctic monkeys at their finest along with their next LP. I forgot the singers name but i love his voice and inflections as usual. This album is just insanely solid and an indie rock mega classic. fav tracks: Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong but..., When The Sun Goes Down, I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, A Certain Romance, Still Take You Home
Classic garage revival album. Tight band already.
Some fun stuff, just hard enough for my taste
Album is quite good. Could deal with a little less "indie guy" sound to the vocals. - The Good The View from the Afternoon I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor Fake Tales of San Francisco Perhaps Vampires... A Certain Romance - The Suck and Skip Riot Van From the Ritz to he Rubble
Love the throwbacks you get doing this. I realise this will make me sound very young but this was a real coming of age for us at the time, it confronted reality in a way a lot of the pop we'd been growing up with didn't and the musicianship is great and gave us something to aspire too.
ei vaan kiinnostas vittuakaan brittiläinen kulttuuri...underground indie band. moni ei kuulukkaan moisesta... on niin turvallista musiikkia kun mahdollista, onko huono asia? no ei välttämättä mutta tällä kertaa on heh... no kaikki biisit on ok. onneksi en montaa tästä ole joutunut eaa. kuulemaan (ennen albumien aikaa) vaikka massiivinen populäärialbumi kyseessä. on tässä hyvääkin, basso... mutta yksi asia tästä puuttuu, ultimate lyriikki ''You think you're special'' olisi sopiva tämänkaltaiseen runkutukseen. olen antanut indieperseilylle vitosia aiemmin joten objektiivisuus on todistettu. tämä ei vitosen suuntaana edes vilkuile. red light indicates doors are secured
white people fuck with these guys heavy, huh? not terrible, a song or three for background ambiance
Bootleg strokes. Rating: 3.3
Ég hlustaði ekki á þessa þegar hún var ný, miðöldrunin hófst snemma, en ég kann að meta þetta. Hresst gítarsound, mikið unnið með offbeatin og söngurinn sleppur til. Jájá. Gaman.
Average
I already knew I liked this album, but revisiting the entire thing was a nice listen.
This album encapsulates a very specific moment in time for me. It was an introduction to a whole new era of English aughts rock. I prefer AM to this one though, because the singles are stronger and more darkly suggestive. But I sure rocked the fuck out of that looking good on the dance floor song for a hot moment, don’t you ever doubt it.
Слишком легкий альбом. Но приятное прям инди-инди начала 00-х алкоальбом: vino verde, которое пьешь на улице в жару
Прикольное, побеситься в клубе захотелось под такое. Но вообще... не тянет на их лучший альбом. Понятно, что у группы есть прогресс, и потом она стала фигачить альбомы один за другим коммерчески успешные, но здесь я как-то приуныл. И не очень много песен можно прям записать в разряд "гимнов", мелодии которых знает абсолютно каждый.
зародыш стилька ептель
Still hits so incredibly hard! The sound of this album is fantastic and the songwriting while a bit rough in places is overall fantastic and witty. Performances are electric and the whole thing just rips. Best tracks: when the sun goes down, riot van, I bet you look good on the dance floor
Great album. already been a fan of theirs for years and this is a great solid debut album.
Ok
Great band, great album. Good variety between tracks and changes in tempo.
Love this. Great song writing and great energy.
arctic monkeys mid
Great debut from a great band! love Thesingles from the Album but especially "Mardy Bum"
More agressive than expected. A bit samey after a while, but some really interesting stereo production in some songs.
Bit rougher around the edge monkeys album with some true og's from them. Favourite Worst Nightmare is a bit nicer imo from this era. Mix of bangers and some that are not really up my alley. I guess the ones that sound too punk-ish are not really nice to me.
Yes, what an album! Quite possibly one of the greatest debut albums of the 00s, and in my opinion one of the greatest acts of the 00s Post-Britpop movement. There's not a bad song on this album - This is one of only a few albums so far on this list where, throughout, I just couldn't get the thought out my head of "This album is just amazing." Really, really good. I just wish Arctic Monkeys still made this kind of music. Favourite: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
It was OK. No songs I particularly disliked, but nothing memorable either.
Certainly not as good as their later records, but still some catchy noisy tunes on here.
Singles from Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor (#1 UK, #7 US Alt) When the Sun Goes Down (#1 UK) Standouts: I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor Rating: 3
Chuffing excellent!
3+/5
Un bon album rock, je suis intriguée et intéressée par l'écoute des autres albums du groupe.
amazing debut album, every song is brilliant.
Pure genius!
i have listened to some of those songs before and some of the ones I didn't listen to i liked. my favorites are when the sun goes down, i bet you look good on the dancefloor, and mardy bum.
Generic uninspired Brit rock that tries too hard. Is it horrible, not really but why is it on the list? At least it wasn't the AM album.
This a strong record with gritty songs and frenetic guitar. This is a band you wish you saw in a bar basement.
Seems like they were a lot bigger in Britain then here. Kind of a Strokes or White Stripes sound. I'd listen again. "Look Good on the Dancefloor" is pretty catchy.
I really like this album. British version of that mid 2000s rock. Biggest knock I have against the Arctic Monkeys is that everything they've done (that I've heard) sounds pretty much the same, BUT, this is the first time they did it that way and I like it.
I am a fan, and listened to this when it came out. My complaint is now what it was then, which is they have a tendency to produce some real knockout, top notch songs, and then a handful of mediocre songs, which makes it difficult to appreciate them fully in the context of a full album. I think "A Certain Romance" is my favorite.
People say you're the British Strokes, that's what you're not.
I find it kinda accessible brit-indie-rock that is kind of like jock-jams for da club or a soap commercial. Meh, it's fine... it's formulaic and there.
Like, just listen to Gang of Four or something, geez.
wasn’t a huge fan but okay
okay, just too teen for me
I would say the Arctic Monkeys are quite successful here in achieving the punk/indie/rock sound and themes they're known for. It's just not music I personally enjoyed very much today.
That was a bit of rockin' fun. I wasn't so sure that I would be able to appreciate the album from the first track, but then it settled in. Yeah, it was good.
In college, a group of guys in my dorm cluster formed a band and called themselves Vivid Arctic and I think that made me biased against bands with Vivid or Arctic in their names. Shame. This is fun and upbeat and I bopped around the whole time. Loved it.
I bought this album when it came out based on how taken I was with “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor.” The phrasing of the chorus is particularly clever and really catchy. This was one of the bands that felt like 21st Century Rock to me when it came out. It’s hard not to compare them to Franz Ferdinand who formed in the same year. Head to head, I might prefer these guys by a nose… I love how they stick the basics and crank up the energy while feeling new and modern. I’m glad to hear it again because everything I loved about this then came right back. Great album from a group I need to spend more time listening to.
great rock album. fav tracks are: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor Mardy Bum When The Sun Goes Down From The Ritz To The Rubble
Alfa album. EZ 5 stars.
solid. like a nice big dump.
One of my favorite albums since I was 18. Brings back great memories of being young and the guitars riffs are some of my favorite ever.
3.5
I dig the Arctic Monkeys. I liked this and I think I would like this even more if I gave it a few more listens.
This album is such a moment, just banger after banger
Ikke deres beste album
tony hawk PS soundtrack vibes
4/5 I wish I was born in the UK so that I could have know this album when I was a teenager/ YA and have memories and memorized this album. I really enjoyed it and want to get to know it better. Really good sounding vocals, and guitar with levels and variety and all the social commentary of punk without the screaminess.
Is it as good as I remember it? Perhaps not quite. Is it still a fantastic album and amazing commentary on life back then and up north? Absodamnlutely. This album will always be able to take me back to this era and for that reason I think it does it's job well.
2.5
What an amazing debut album. It goes hard, start to finish. There isn't a bad track in the bunch. Were Arctic Monkeys the saviors of rock n' roll? I think one could make that argument. 5 stars.
Es u disco normal de esta especie de indie rock, pero británico, muy similar al de blur, pero sin lo diferencial. Las letras y los estribos son más pegadizos en diferentes medidas que los de los white stripes, pero Artic Monkeys hay que destacar que sabe como sacar provecho de la repetición y sabe como sacar provecho de las copias. Un disco de rock indie, garage, under, progressive, brit pop-rock, post punk, normal. Lo bueno de este disco es que no todas las canciones suenan igual, por ende es una specto más que positivo. Le voy a dar un 7/10 porque volvería a este disco a ver que dicen puntualmente todas sus letras.
Another of those bands that I should have liked but just didn't. I think alex turner is just trying too hard to sing 'cool.' The strokes mastered the 'try hard and say it's easy' and looked so damn easy. The arctic monkeys always looked like they were trying very fucking hard. Maybe the melodies just aren't there? Rock stomp after rock stomp. Not very memorable or catchy.
The view from the afternoon- oh this is really good actually, clever lyricism and great rock sound 👍 I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor- A british staple 👍 Fake tales of San Francisco- some cute lyrics here, but I’m not really a fan of chorus/outro repetition Dancing Shoes- The riff here is so catchy, and amazing instrumental break.. love 👍 You Probably couldn’t see for the lights but you were staring straight at me- just like the title, lyrics are a bit too wordy Still Take You Home- some good old misogyny Riot Van- A slower song, the filter on the vocals is a bit more distracting here. Feels like it doesn’t have enough substance to be a full song Red Light Indicates Doors are Secured- love the drunk storytelling nature of this 👍 Mardy Bum- I’m leaning towards the gfs side :) 👍 Perhaps Vampires Is a Bit Strong But..-Instrumental Break build up is cool, but babes you’re successful calm down When The Sun Goes Down- The cynicism in the lyrics is very good, chorus is a bit weak but still a good song 👍 From the Ritz to the rubble- I love the chorus on this one 👍 A Certain Romance- This track is one of the dullest on the album for me Very solid debut with clever lyrics and great guitars 4/5
I saw Arctic Monkeys at Roskilde 2007 and remember thinking they looked like children. Although it turns out that Alex Turner had just turned 20 on the album's release in January 2006, the record is a hugely impressive achievement for anyone, let alone a group of teenagers. The combination of high energy garage rock with on-point observational lyrics of northern English teenage nightlife makes a compelling combination. A great debut album and the embodiment of 'write what you know'. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor Date listened: 10/04/23
Some good songs. Worth hearing again, probably.
This arrived with a b-b-bang. The greatest debut record of the 21st Century. An absolute explosion of music with lyrics, humour, observation and just the right amount of anger. A group of lads that worked out how to make music in their own way. A classic.
It's undoubtedly iconic.
p913. 2006. 2 stars. Loud, obnoxious, shouty, average pub band that got lucky. Alex Turner's voice grates like chalk on a board - every time he opens his mouth I wanted to smack him to make him shut it. Bonus star for When The Sun Goes Down.
this album made me reconsider my thoughts on British people. I didn’t think I would like arctic monkeys at first based off of the singles I had heard, but after giving this a chance it ended up in my top 5 most listened to albums of last year and has become one of my favorite records of the 2000s. Energy, musicianship, and engaging songwriting and structure really set Arctic Monkeys apart from other bands in the late 00s indie rock boom. Most Favorite Song: Fake Tales of San Francisco I like the outro when he tells other bands to stop dickriding Least Favorite Song: Riot Van I like the song and the lyrics and everything but it’s too much of a drop off in pace for me after the first half of the album and I often end up skipping it
First half is all bangers and obviously fake tales is one of my favorites to cover. All the drumming is sick and there are a ton of good guitar riffs. The lyrics are also pretty clever and funny and the last song kinda perfect sums up the album. The last line also reminds of seeing the Salisbury boys do some heinous shit when we’re fucked up and if a guy in any other group did it you’d think he’s a fucking douche but it’s your boy so it’s funny as hell. Definitely one of my favorite albums and is a classic garage rock album. Favorite: A certain romance Least favorite: I guess still take you home
Rubbish… Absolute rubbish innit? I don’t even know where to start with this dog-water of an album. Honestly this is the worse thing England has done to us since the Beatles, I can’t even understand half the words they’re saying with that mid accent. Thank god for the revolutionary war so we don’t have to put up with this chicanery. If you know someone who’s into this stuff, keep an eye on them, they very well could be a traitorous loyalist to the crown. Long live the American revolution 😤 💯🗽🇺🇸 🚫🇬🇧🫖
The Arctic Monkeys are so cool, I wish British people were real.. Fav : From The Ritz To The Rubble Least fav : Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured
Thought I’d like this album and I did. Preferred the second half which I feel like might be a hot take. Also thought that the lyrics were good and pretty funny. Only gripe with it is there were a couple points in the first half that were just pretty noisy for my taste. I’m sure a lot of people love that sound, just not me. The guys voice can be kinda brash sometimes too. That being said: there’s a lot more good than bad here. Heard before: take tales of SanFran(pdog version) Favorite: ritz2rubble HM: sun goes down
Like Beatles, Clash, and Smiths before them, Arctic Monkeys are exemplary ambassadors of British youth culture. The band is frenetic and immediate, clanking and clattering, big and bold. Lyrically, it’s sharp and stylish, never contrived. Now I know what it’s like to go clubbing in Sheffield. Standout Tracks: I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, Fake Tales of San Francisco, Mardy Bum, When the Sun Goes Down
There are no bad tracks on this Not 5 star but pretty bloody close I’ve never been that fond of Mardy Bum though I seem to be the only one
it's possible this is my favorite arctic monkeys album
8/10. a pesar de q le perdi un pcoo el gusto a am (era mi grupo fav como a los 13) este album holds up y es el mejor de los monos por caleta.
Arctic Monkeys are always interesting to me, since on paper they're the exact right era & genre that I should be a fan, but I'd overlooked them back then, and they still fail to click every time I go trying to get into them
Good album, some good song lyrics. Might finally have started appreciating them musically. Previous attempts haven't clicked.
Stupid name, great album. Best Tracks: I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor; Fake Tales of San Francisco; Still Take You Home
That one Arctic Monkeys song you remember plus some other songs that are kind of like that
Easy to see how this influenced a lot of rock in the late 2000s and early 2010s on both sides of the pond. All meat, no fat! An album that hits hard and doesn't overstay its welcome. High 4 for me, but not quite a 5.
Arctic Monkeys are a band that I bought stock in early. I had heard some of the demos that were going around before the album released, this was in the era of websites like Stereogum and other MP3 blogs. The narrative at the time was that this act was the next Libertines (who had flamed out like a year or two earlier). I also remember taking one of my friends to Future Shop for me to buy this album when it came out. A few weeks later the Arctic Monkeys gave one of the all time great performances on SNL (when Alex mid song calls out someone for yawning). I fully expected them to take over culture then and there and while they were known, they were never really huge. They did however get huge when they changed their sounds by slowing down and dropping key. Those albums I really have never listened to. Perhaps I should give them a fair shake Haven’t heard this album in whole for over 10 years. Every song hits completely. Mardy Bum especially is pop perfection.
LOVED this one growing up. Fast, fun, and so very British. 5 stars.
I already had 2/13 songs on liked songs: The view from the afternoon and I bet you look good on the dancefloor. I think I herad both of them at Summerwell. Very Arctic Monkeyish, not as much as AM, but it gives off a similar vibe, maybe a bit more chill, like not am such of a lovey-dovey sad boy. I also knew "when the sun goes down" but i didn't have it saved
I feel 12 again.
This was a great album. I almost gave it a 5. I went through it 3 times. Got real familiar with it. Just great music. Solid 4. TBz 1. When The Sun Goes Down 2. The View From The Afternoon 3. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor 4. Riot Van
Likes: Drumming and rhythms reminiscent of In Utero at times, solid band, fun vibe that stays consistent Dislikes: Vocals and melodies don’t do anything for me at all, songs feel a little too similar/one-note Overall, this is an album where if you like one song, you’ll probably like the rest. But I don’t, so it was a bit of a slog for me.
I don't know what it is, but I've never cared for the Arctic Monkeys. This album didn't help change my mind.
Loved it. Such a fun album. Full of interesting, upbeat, catchy songs without being cheesy. And this isn't even the Arctic Monkeys' best album.
Amazing album, even though I’d heard a couple of the songs already it exceeded my expectations with how much energy is in this project. Would definitely recommend just wish I checked it out sooner
Quite an energetic youthful album. From the Ritz to the Rubble has been my favorite. Some songs aren’t as sonically distinct from each other as I might like.
I’ve heard this band’s sound changes up a lot. This one sounds like Jack White meets the Strokes. Not in love with the songs but the guitars sound very cool.
Unlike any of the new Arctic Monkeys stuff I've heard. Has an almost Sublime vibe?
Loved it
I've never been a punk fan. I don't know why, it just doesn't appeal to me. This record was mostly that: a more modern punk-inspired English rock album. I didn't hate it but didn't find it enjoyable either.
Not bad, kinda diggin it. It is a bit one dimensional and It'd get old if I had to listen to it often or if their other albums sound the same, but on first listen, it was reasonably good.
Oh nostalgia you got me again you filthy bitch, But I'll take it gladly and milk it dry with both hands. One of my all time favourite albums, great energy and I love the guitar and bass sound, Too bad he moved away from the Sheffield accent but we always have this beauty.
5/5 fantastic from start to finish
Great album, lots of nostalgia for 6th form and first year of uni!
It
3.5
Cool! Rad! Edgy!
not their best
What a banger!
I liked it.
Hold on to your hats, because this album is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish! If you're looking for high-octane, heart-pumping alt-rock, then "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" is the album for you. From the very first track, you're hit with a wave of frenetic energy that practically leaps out of your speakers. The opening song is a wild, raucous romp that sets the tone for the entire album. And the energy level doesn't let up from there - the band keeps things cranked up to 11 for the majority of the album. But don't think for a second that this album is just mindless noise. There's a method to the madness here, and each track is packed with clever lyrics and catchy hooks that will have you humming along for days. And even when things do finally start to mellow out a bit towards the end of the album, the band never loses their edge or their passion. In short, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" is a powerhouse album that will get your blood pumping and your heart racing. So if you need a shot of adrenaline in your music collection, this is the album you've been waiting for!
It's not bad, but it's all been done at least as good by other bands before them. Somehow this got them to be one of the biggest "indie" rock bands of the late 00s. Favorite song: Still Take You Home.
I listened to the hell out of this record when it came out, and it holds up great. They're like a modern version of Oasis - the whole album is about what it's like as a teenage lad in Sheffield. Everything is played at a breakneck pace but still has hooks and catchy choruses. Kind of a breath of fresh air to be honest.
This record ushered in a new sound and aesthetic so it gets an extra star for that.
Absolute fucking banger
Looking back, it's crazy to think about how hyped this band/record was. They were really sold as the future of rock and while I'll admit that this is a pretty solid debut, it's not necessarily the revolution people wanted it to be. Still, it's a fun rock record and I can understand that it gathered nostalgic value for most of its listeners.
Sounds like early Billy Talent's projet Pezz, minus the innovation. Not bad, just not very interesting to my ears.
Nostalgic rating here
I found it difficult to hold on to anything on this album. It sounds really samey overall and I can't understand why it is so praised.
Ok
Good guitar work. Makes me wanna run naked across a football pitch. 🙈🙉🙊
Good,album. Never will be my favourite
It was good, nothing really stood out about it though.
Love this album!
D'r staan wel aardige stukjes op, maar wanneer ze weer gaan raggen, heb ik de neiging af te haken. Vooruit, ik ben in een goede bui vandaag.
Tja...wat voegt dit nou weer toe aan onze muziekgeschiedenis? Zang en instrumenten zijn hier twee losse dingen. Vaak een lekker tempootje hoor. Maar dat maakt het geen voldoende.
Jonge honden onder leiding van Alex Turner met hun debuutplaat vol aanstekelijke en opzwepende rock n roll nummers. Groot geworden via MySpace (uit de tijd dat Hyves nog groot was enzo), een soort huismerk Spotify. Een van de grote festivalhits in de zeroes. Heerlijke plaat. Haters gonna hate, looking at you Eric :-P
I was thinking about early AM vs late AM when I realized I was basically doing the American Psycho Huey Lewis bit in my head. Uh, IBYLGOTDF is good. Riot Van, yep.
Highlights: "Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured" The Strokes were five years ago at this point, so with added dashes of garage and surf aside, the main contributions here to the broad blend of pop punk and classic soul is Spencer's larger-than-life ethnography of Northern English pubs. Which is to say there's not much to say but lots of fun ways to say it. The clever rhyme schemes, eye for detail, and loads of punchy rhythms have the vocals and drums carry us through, but it's rare for a track to go by without a minute of jamming on some truly tedious and stale guitarwork. A lot of 00s retro hasn't aged well.
Already listened to this album countless times! A classic. Fave tracks are probably Dancing Shoes and A Certain Romance.
I've somehow managed to never listen to Arctic Monkeys even though I think I was their target audience during college because this album was everywhere and everyone was going gaga over it. This is the album I would have checked out during that period if I gave it a chance. I had a feeling I knew what they sounded like anyways and I had a feeling it wasn't for me. Now cut forward about 17 years and here we are. It's exactly like I thought it would sound and still isn't for me.
Speaks to me of a time and place and brings me back to being that again and in that place again every time I turn it on. It’s also, not afraid to turn the lens back on that culture and to me it’s both involved in and way more self consciously critical of elements of it than I think is often reflected in commentary.
good album but not my favorite sounds, kind of cliche brit-pop rock
Great rock album. Liked perhaps vampires. Riot van was a nice slow jam.
Love AM, love this album
Good good. I believe I listened to another artcitc monkeys album but I don’t remember it being as good as this one.
me encanta esta época de los arctic monkeys. Más natural, rústica. Sin tanta producción. Medio post punk.
El mejor de los monos del ártico y de los más icónicos del indie. Después de este fueron teniendo sus subidas y bajadas. 4.5/5
Está bueno, un álbum muy divertido de escuchar.
Uno de mis discos preferidos. Si tuviera una copia física estaría rotísimo de tanto escucharlo.
Es increible que con 20 años estos locos sacaron este album. Frenetico, divertid, nunca me canso de escucharlo.
Rollicking and fun but sorta one-note and way, way overhyped upon release, one recalls. But good for them for their bootstrapping from Sheffield – biggest cultural export since "The Full Monty" – doing it their way and for leveraging MySpace to take it big time. But one has far less frequent need to rock in this decade so ... one thinks of Arab Strap as AMs' polar opposite (and one's preference). Yes, this is good for laughs ("you sexy swine") and to mack it out at the gym. And one can admire the classic bent to the content ("Bet you look good on the dance floor") and some of the playing (groovy bass licks on "Still Take You Home" and the nifty solo on "Mardy Bum") and of course the silly-perfect name and stellar, squeaky clean production. Their endless hooking and banging reminds one of the ol' "if all you've got is a hammer;" a bit more variety beyond woulda gone a long way (as evidenced by the likable closer, "A Certain Romance"). To wit, one has enjoyed the much mellower recent album, least Arctic Monkeys record ever, of which "Riot Van is a pleasant, though too short, harbinger.
Simpler times. Before the loungecore and strings there were razor-sharp Sheffield anthems of pubs, hooksups and misspent evenings. Fully formed straight out of the box.
A classic debut that I am less inclined to reach for most days now as their newer stuff is a lot fresher
I love every song on this album. Top tier stuff for me
I've heard a bit of Artic Monkeys before but hadn't really paid much attention to them. I really really enjoyed this album and need to delve further.
Always struggled with this. Messy and just doesn’t hook me - Later stuff much better.
So I've had this album since the day it was released in the States, so I am very familiar with it. I think the Strokes comparisons are pretty apt, as it has that "sound"/"voice" of a generation going on. Iconic black and white cover art and infectious singles. How does it hold up 16 years later? Separated from the hype, I think it's still a strong rock album, but I don't have it in my top 10 or so of the decade. To me, it's always been a half step behind the classics of the decade like Is This It, Turn On The Bright Lights, and others as I felt that it was a little unbalanced at times. The singles/best songs are absolute killer, but there's a few too many weak tracks for a perfect score.
I remember distinctly hearing about the Arctic Monkey's debut through a Neil Young mailing list when it first came out and being immediately in love with it. I think I was just surfacing from being less focused on music and more on raising little ones at the time, and it was just what I needed with its urgency and brashness. Plus being from Southern California it gave a real insight into experiences that were completely unfamiliar to me. On the earlier albums especially the Arctic Monkeys displayed a talent for putting you in their moment.
One of my favorite albums from the mid 2000's. I remember listening to a bunch of bootlegs from the band in anticipation of the album release. Really brings me back to my senior year of college.
Don't think I've listened to this album front to back since the year it came out. One of my best friends, who at the time walked around looking like Ben Sherman had barfed on him, was going through a douche bag phase and got addicted to this album. I think that was part of the turn off for me, as there was a certain type in America who embraced the Arctic Monkeys and that wasn't my scene. I always moved more with weed and psychedelic types than coke in the bathroom of a dive bar types. So I usually went to the former kind of shows over the latter, and I skipped AM every time they came through. Listening to this now, I like it more than I did at the time. It has an energy that reminds me of the time and all the bad choices everyone I knew (me too) was making. But it's not an album of nostalgia for me, it's one that makes me think of the regret of a morning after and assholes who had no regret the morning after. This really peaks in Riot Van. I'll probably come back and listen to this again, I do think it's better than some of that scene upon this listen, still not my main cup of tea, just not as grating and obnoxious as it was to me in the 00s. 3 stars leaning to 3.5
I discovered the Arctic Monkeys in college, which is when I started getting really into indie music/music blogs. This album has some nostalgia attached to it for me but I really like it.
Not my usual brand of indie rock, but still a pretty good album. An interesting look into clubbing & pub hopping in North England from Alex Turner's perspective. Not subject matter I can really relate too, but a good listen and a good laugh at times nonetheless.
The Artic Monkeys debut is a fine modern punk pop album. I fail to see what all the fuss is about. They are fine.
This band and album came just a bit too late for me to get into. Sadly, full-time work and the misery of adulthood had hit hard by this point, and I wasn't really listening to music much. So I've heard "I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor" before, I'm sure every one in the world has. Everything else is new to me so far, decent indie rock and I love the singer's accent. Frank Spencer! I like the copper bashing song, "Riot Van". I thought I might recognize "Mardy Bum" but nope, new to me this one! Ooh, I know this one! (When The Sun Goes Down) Who came first, The Strokes or Arctic Monkeys?! I checked, I think The Strokes were first. "Just cos he's had a couple of cans, he thinks it's alright to act like a dickhead." Haha, just about everywhere on a Friday / Saturday night in the late 90s / early 00s!! That was alright, that. Can't give half stars, as I'd give it 2.5 / 5, so I'll go with 2 because it wasn't /that/ good.
I forgot how fun that album was, listened to it a bunch back in the day. Enjoyed my listen.
Just ok.
I guess I listened to this way back in college because I somehow recognized every song. Such a good album I’ve been ignoring for over a decade.
this sounds like other things that i already like but i like those other things more than this
Rating: 10/10
Some catchy guitar riffs, grungy vocals
Funny this popped up four days before I see AM live (for the second time). Not my favourite Arctic Monkeys record but solid, of course.
I used to listen to this album more. Some good songs. Similar nostalgia to Hot Fuss. Still pretty good overall.
Some great songs on here of course, although they have been overplayed a little. As a whole album it's kinda middling
Great great album!
Kris and his friends played songs of this album all the time, never realised how many bangers were on this album and how many I actually have heard before.
Clear 5 star. Not saying it's the best album ever but it's the most I've enjoyed and album since we started 1001 albums. Brilliant.
Classic album
Classic debut. Never bettered it.
I do enjoy this album. In fact I enjoyed it quite a bit, but it took about halfway through for that enjoyment to really kick in. I mean, the first song had a such good energy to it, and then the next few songs just felt like the same level of energy? Like, to the point that everything was blending together. It wasn't until about halfway through where it felt that each song knew it's proper placement a bit more. The slower pace of a couple songs, or the rapidly changing energy is something that the early parts of the album would've really benefited from, and would've in my eyes pushed it to that 5 star range. Will just have to settle for pretty good, I suppose.
5/5. Not quite rock, not quite punk, a bit of both. Every song slaps and any one could be randomly put on and it’d be awesome.
this reminds me a lot of the OG Oasis stuff. Why do all british alt bands seem to be cut from the same cloth? They are super dancable. Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But... is a standout track for me. If I heard this when it debuted, it would have been a 5 for me, but I'm a crusty old man now and its just a 4 this morning.
Extraordinary drumming
PERF PERF PERF
I mixed these up with all the other landfill indie bands at the time, but resented them more because I loathed having them forced down my neck like an unclean penis by everyone. In hindsight, it's leagues better. Alex Turner has strong Morrissey vibes (but at this point was at the age it's not embarrassing) and it's pretty good! The shittiness of going out in the noughties is the main lyrical theme, and I can very much relate.
I remember the hype when this album came out, wasn’t convinced at the time but safe to say Arctic Monkeys have went on to be one of the Brest British bands over the last 20 years. I do prefer AM to this album though.
7/13, 54%
Quite a good album. Some songs make it a bit monotonous, but some are very good to make up for it.
Yes, I love this album. Yes, I was a teenager when it came out.