STACK #163 May 2018

MUSIC

FEATURE

Whatever People Say I Am, That’sWhat I’m Not (2006)

Arctic Monkeys: (LtoR) Jamie Cook, AlexTurner (seated), Matt Helders, Nick O'Malley

"We're Arctic Monkeys and this is I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor – don’t believe the hype,” Alex Turner famously said back in '06. It was too late, of course – by the time the Sheffield quartet’s debut came out, they were already stars (we have MySpace to thank for that). Whatever People Say I Am ousted

Oasis’ Definitely Maybe as the fastest-selling British debut in history at the time, and stamped the band firmly into the mainstream around the world. Post-release we also saw their only line-up change: the departure of founding guitarist Andy Nicholson, and the introduction of Nick O’Malley. BestTracks: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, When The Sun Goes Down, Fake Tales Of San Francisco.

FavouriteWorst Nightmare (2007) From the opening pummelling, double-speed chords of Brainstorm , the first cycle of the band’s evolution was clear. Returning just 15 months from their debut, this would be the first time they linked up with James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco), which gave this collection of songs a really danceable quality. Tracks like Fluorescent Adolescent and 505 continue to be live favourites.

BestTracks: Fluorescent Adolescent, 505, Do Me A Favour.

Suck It And See (2011) Lyrically, Suck It And See is excellent. Turner’s deadpan quips and bleak outlook were the backbone of the unhurried album: “Give me an eenie-meenie-miney-mo, or an ip-dip-dog-sh-t rock ‘n’ roll” ( Library Books ) and “I poured my aching heart into a pop song/ I couldn’t get the hang of poetry/ That’s not a skirt, girl, that’s a sawn-off shotgun/ And I can only hope you’ve got it aimed at me” ( Suck It And See ) are classics. It also saw the group’s not-so-secret weapon, drummer Matt Helders, take on lead vocals for the first time, on Brick By Brick . The album title was controversial for those not aware of its British meaning to ‘give it a go,’ but it was much better than any of the other titles they were reportedly considering (like The Rain-Shaped Shimmer Trap , The Thunder-Suckle Fuzz Canyon , or The Blond-O-Sonic Rape Alarm ). BestTracks: Don’t Sit Down 'Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair, Brick By Brick.

AM (2013) Now based in LA, the band’s fifth and most successful album went beyond the parties and clubs they had sung about for almost a decade, and moved into the come-downs and after-parties – the seedy underbelly of the glitzy life they'd forged. With the introduction of hip hop beats and soaring falsettos, AM changed everything, and is not only the Arctic Monkeys’ biggest album to date but one of the most popular albums of all time.

Humbug (2009) The third album came after Turner stretched his legs in side-project The Last Shadow Puppets with fellow brit Miles Kane. On the back of their hyper-aggressive second release, Humbug was much more loose. It was also the first time they'd worked with Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), and the laid-back confidence he injected into the record defined its sound. Although it isn’t fans’ favourite of a packed discography, it’s one of the most important; without it, the band could never have made AM .

BestTracks: R U Mine?, Arabella, Why’d You Only Call Me When You're High? .

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys is out May 11 via Domino.

BestTracks: Cornerstone, Crying Lightning.

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