You got your H.P. Lovecraft
Your Edgar Allan Poe
You got your unkind of ravens
And your murder of crows
Catty eyelashes and your Dracula cape
Been flashing triple A passes
At the cemetary gates
Cause you’re so dark, babe
But I want you hard
You’re so dark, babe
You’re so dark
– Arctic Monkeys ‘in the dark’
Well.
Most of us will never visit the Arctic Circle.
But suffice it to say while you would see Eskimos … you would not see monkeys.
Although.
In Japan you can see monkeys that can thrive in the frigid snow.
Anyway.
I am pleased.
Pleased America is finally embracing the band … the Arctic monkeys.
I have always liked their sound.
But the Arctic Monkeys have never quite made it big in America.
While Arctic Monkeys are a household name in the UK since releasing the UK’s fastest-selling debut album in 2006 – and representing their country on the world stage at the London Olympics opening ceremony in 2012 – if I brought up Arctic Monkeys to any of my music loving friends <the younger ones not just listening to Sinatra on vinyl> I would most likely have heard … who?
People in America were not only not fans … but not even aware of the Arctic Monkeys.
People have been missing out on these 4 high school dropouts.
The four 19-year-olds hit the ground running with their first album <and single ‘I bet you look good on the dance floor>.
Their lead singer, Alex Turner, rarely smiles and has an endearingly acerbic style <of singing and interviewing>:
Turner spoke soon after their initial album …
“It’s all been quite a bit of a fluke” and described the recent turn of events as “proper hysterical.”
“If I say ‘phenomenon,’ it sounds like I’m right up my own arse, but we’d be daft to act like we didn’t realize how incredible the last year’s been. When it all started, we were like, ‘F—ing hell, what’s going off here?’ “
From Sheffield, England, Turner and bass player Andy Nicholson, drummer Matt Helders and guitarist Jamie Cook dropped out of high school at age 16 and formed the Arctic Monkeys.
They named themselves after a ’70s band Cook’s uncle played in.
Ah.
Their music.
This is what my friends would call ‘bruce music.’
They have a deeper darker sound driven by poetic lyrics delivered in an indifferent attitude from Turner.
It’s a … well … let’s call it a ‘black and white sound’ with seriously gritty guitar riffs, some grunge roots, fast paced drumming and the lyrical twists & turns of Turner <says he was inspired by Manchester punk poet John Cooper Clarke>.
So.
Today … in America.
Here is their new song being made popular on American television & radio …
Do I wanna Know:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOSxM0rNPM
And to show you a live version … this is them on Jools Holland where they do a beautiful scratchy sprawling version of this song <this is spectacular if you like this type of music>:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iHMYJSubIQ
The next single they released is kinda cool because the first 1:30 actually uses ‘do I wanna know’ … how cool is that? Use one of your own songs to open one of your … well … own songs.
Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6366dxFf-Os
Oh.
And just a reminder to everyone who is just catching up with the Arctic Monkeys. This is the first song I heard … and their first popular song off their first album … when they were just kids … lead singer Alex Turner …. “How could that be #1?” Turner quipped. “It’s freakin’ awful.”
I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor (2005): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQNyTo4k_TA
I also liked their second single … whew … starts poetic and slams into what I came to call ‘the arctic sound’ …
<also … a great Police reference… “but he told Roxanne to put on her red light”>
When the sun goes Down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUatH8zI6Qc
There you go.
The Arctic Monkeys.