Arctics album flies off shelves

 

Arctic Monkeys have won three Brit awards and five NME Awards

 

The Arctic Monkeys sold 85,000 copies of their new album on its first day in shops, putting it on course to be the year's fastest-selling new release.

 

Music chain HMV said Favourite Worst Nightmare outsold the rest of the top 20 albums combined on Monday.

 

The album is likely to surpass the 151,000 one-week sales recorded by the Kaiser Chiefs in February, HMV said.

 

But it will not match the first Arctic Monkeys album, which sold 360,000 copies in its first week last year.

 

That included 118,501 on day one alone and sent the rock band's debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, into the record books.

 

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said: "It was always going to be next to impossible to match or beat the phenomenal day-one sales of Whatever People Say I Am... which proved to be one of the media stories of 2006.

 

"But coming this close is a fantastic result, which underlines the band's status as the UK's number rock act. People are buying this album not because of any media hype, but because it's had great reviews and they can't wait to hear it."

 

Avril Lavigne is the Arctic Monkeys' nearest rival

 

On Monday, Stephen Lynn of Virgin Retail said Favourite Worst Nightmare was selling "fantastically well".

 

It was outselling nearest rival Avril Lavigne's The Best Damn Thing by almost 10 to one, he said.

 

"We don't think it will sell as many copies in the first week as a whole as the last album did, but we do think it will sell eight or nine times more copies than whoever is number two this Sunday."

 

The Sheffield band built up a substantial fanbase before signing to Domino Records in June 2005 and scoring their debut number one single four months later.

 

The first single from their second album, Brianstorm, jumped from 11 to number two on Sunday.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6588067.stm

*cough anyone who got the NME already? *cough*

Why won't this thread show up in WOM?:puzzled:

Arctic Monkeys in the middle

 

The band's second CD is good, but it lacks the raw aggression of the first. What's next?

 

Arctic Monkeys

 

Favourite Worst Nightmare (Domino)

 

Grade: B-

 

When we first met the Arctic Monkeys, the blue-collar scruffs from Sheffield, England, could barely afford to buy a girl a drink.

 

Their debut disc, 2006's revelatory Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, was built on frustration and instinct, as the indie kids raged about being poor, raising hell, getting snubbed by rich girls, repeat, repeat, repeat. The album sounded like it was recorded in one take - or as long as it took the band to chain-smoke a carton of cheap cigs.

 

Thanks in part to the raw guitars, frisky beats and cash-poor malaise, the Arctic Monkeys became the fastest-selling new band in British history, moving almost 400,000 copies of Whatever in its first week. Overnight, the rockers, all just 19- and 20-years-old, went from struggling to famous, suddenly having fat wallets to woo the upper-class birds.

 

That was great news for the Monkeys - but what about their music? What does whiplash success do to a band inspired by fast food, romantic rejection and living check to check?

 

The bittersweet answer is found on Favourite Worst Nightmare, as anticipated a sophomore effort as we'll see all year.

 

Led by singer-guitarist-lyricist Alex Turner, the Monkeys continue to rock about the beauties and beasties they meet in the clubs where they loiter. But fame has provided a new vantage point.

 

Killer opening cut Brianstorm, about a nouveau riche Lothario, is their fastest, hardest song yet. It's a speed-metal indictment of a ladykilling creep who seduces women into his posh hot tub. But it's not just a cheap dig. With his guitar sounding like it's surfing a fatal wave, Turner is unnerved by this dude, realizing that the titular Brian is exactly who he doesn't want to be. Drummer Matt Helders, still the band's secret weapon, pounds the skins as hard and fast as he can, almost as if he's trying to chase the image of Brian from his brain.

 

On Fluorescent Adolescent, a chummy pub sing-along, the Monkeys reminisce about the good ol' days with a former club queen turned suburban matron. The boys can't be too hard on her, because they know they, too, have changed. "The best you ever had is just a memory," Turner croons with more than a hint of melancholy.

 

A steady touring schedule has made the Monkeys far better musicians, and that, oddly enough, is where the bad news starts.

 

What's missing from Nightmare is that previous sense of recklessness, pent-up aggression that could and did explode at any second. The Monkeys are now more polished, more controlled, their songs featuring layers and layers of fancy parts.

 

Losing the edge

 

Unfortunately, the band is also more stable, more sane, more content. Teddy Picker ridicules the machinations of fame, including the soulless entertainment press. But the song's rebellion sounds forced; it's missing the crucial ingredient of genuine emotion. Often a wickedly acerbic songwriter, Turner just can't muster the knockout punch. ("D'you reckon that they make 'em take an oath?/That says 'We are defenders of any poseur or professional pretender around.'")

 

The most troubling part of the new album, however, is that the Monkeys don't seem to be having much fun. In fact, on the gauzy Only Ones Who Know, the band gets a bad case of the touchy-feely Coldplay blahs. Yes, there were slow songs on the first disc, but they were hungover laments mocking the cops. Big difference.

 

Okay, let's give the guys some credit: Favourite Worst Nightmare was turned around lickety-split to ride the band's buzz, and it's still more inventive than most rock albums out there. But the expectations were huge for Turner & Co. And as their star continues to rise and their bank accounts continue to grow, the band has a big challenge ahead. Where does a previously poor Monkey find passion, grit and fire when his pint glass is always full, the rich girls won't stay away and the world expects greatness with every hot lick?

 

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/04/Floridian/Arctic_Monkeys_in_the.shtml

:dance: 5 days:dance:

 

AM EXTRAAARAVAGANZZZAAAAA:dance:

at this moment in time i have to say i prefer the new album to the first .. maybe this will change in a few months but i'm doubting it will to be honest :)

I like both about the same:) both great!!..

 

 

AAAAAAAAAAH wednesday CANT WAIT:D

I've uploaded some goodies to Youtube for all you AM-hungry fans ;)

 

Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm (Later... with Jools Holland)

 

Arctic Monkeys - 505 (Later... with Jools Holland)

 

Arctic Monkeys - Teddy Picker (Later... with Jools Holland)

Dave's verdict on Favourite Worst Nightmare...

 

*falls to sleep half-way though listening to album*

 

3/10

around june last year is when i first heard of this band. so i bought everything that people... and listened to it a max time of 2. their album is now in a box gatherng dust. i can't connect with their music for some reason :/ i'm not critisizing them, i don't even know their music well enough to make a proper judgement. mind you i'm probably missing their style or something, i don't know. any suggestions of their 5 best tracks so far? that would be helpful!

*falls to sleep half-way though listening to album*

This might not necessarily be a bad thing. I fell asleep the first time i listened to x&y :lol:

any suggestions of their 5 best tracks so far? that would be helpful!

best 5 tracks off "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" or "Favourite Worst Nightmare"?

got my tickets. They will be at will call though. lol. And to be honest I like their new single, and few select tracks off the album, can't remember the names though. But so far I like the first album better. But like most music, it just needs time to grow perhaps!

 

 

Edit: Brainstorm is crazy and Flourenscent Adolescent is my fav. Does he say "Tabasco"? hahaha.

best 5 tracks off "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" or "Favourite Worst Nightmare"?

 

top 5 tracks in general. favorites would be great.

My personal favourites overall would have to be...

 

1. From Ritz to Rubble

2. Brianstorm

3. Mardy Bum

4. Fluorescent Adolescent

5. D is for Dangerous

 

:)

thanks annie, i have 2 of those so i'll check those out now.

I've uploaded some goodies to Youtube for all you AM-hungry fans ;)

 

Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm (Later... with Jools Holland)

 

Arctic Monkeys - 505 (Later... with Jools Holland)

 

Arctic Monkeys - Teddy Picker (Later... with Jools Holland)

 

Thank you! I put the 505 vid on my blog.

could anybody explain to me what's so special about "Flourescent Adolescent"? it's by far my least favourite Arctic Monkeys track... i just don't like it. (meeh, and i've heard it's gonna be their next single :()

my favourites would have to be...

omg... i cannot really rank them... i'll jsut name 5 of my faves.

"Do Me A Favour"

"505"

"A Certain Romance"

"I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor"

"D Is For Dangerous"

Edit: Brainstorm is crazy and Flourenscent Adolescent is my fav. Does he say "Tabasco"? hahaha.

lol. you mean that "That Bloody Mary's lacking her Tabasco"-part?

:D

The first album is better. They are a band which has fallen to the "difficult second album" problem, who hired a "New Rave" producer.

each to their own.

but i think it's not even comparable to their first record.

they've definitely developed in every single way and "Favourite Worst Nightmare" is not better or worse than their first album.

it's different, but in a positive way. i kinda see them as a new band. :rolleyes:

could anybody explain to me what's so special about "Flourescent Adolescent"? it's by far my least favourite Arctic Monkeys track... i just don't like it. (meeh, and i've heard it's gonna be their next single :()

 

 

That song had to grow on me...

 

At first I didn't like it. I thought it was very 'un-Arctic Monkeys...'

 

But I'm starting to like it now. :)

Awwwh, AM tomorrow.

I hope this thread will be filled with lots of pics of Marisa, Libby, Garrett and I meeting them by Thursday.:nice:

:dozey: I don't want to meet them. just want to get onstage and dance. LMAO.

:laugh4:

 

I would die of laughter.