Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Review

The debut album from the Arctic Monkeys made a huge splash in the UK when it finally dropped. Demo CDs of the album before they got released were passed around at shows and festivals and ultimately, got onto the Internet.  The Internet widely sold this album for Arctic Monkeys as it became the fastest selling debut album in British music history.  This album put Arctic Monkeys on the map as their highly successful debut features a plethora of classic hits, and fun moments.

"The View From The Afternoon" starts the album off with an upbeat, in your face rock song that pumps you up and personifies Arctic Monkeys at their best.  The album maintains its momentum until we hit "Riot Van".  "Riot Van" is an interesting shift in gears that slows down the album dramatically after being on full speed since the beginning.  "Mardy Bum" also represents one of the more mellow tracks on this album.  The lyrics throughout are mainly about teenage debauchery, experiences, and romance.  The romantic nature of this album paints a sweet picture for an album seemingly "up to no good".  

"When The Sun Goes Down" is the most diverse song on this album as it starts off very slow and ends up erupting during the chorus.  The album in general feels like it was in top gear at all times and rarely slows down for a pit stop.  The eagerness heard on this album is palpable as Arctic Monkeys sound excited, full of energy, and perky; leaving you with a feeling of enthrallment as you can feel the band enjoying every single moment.  "A Certain Romance" also offers a diverse, catchy song that ends the album on a high note.  The teenage angst, and raw material on this album leaves you happy to have listened; as Arctic Monkeys debut effort soars as far as debut albums go.   

Final Summary:

At the end of the day, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" delivers on angst and attitude; but lacks on maturity (understandably).  The album put the monkeys on the map and it certainly has a classic feel; even though the album came out not too far back.  "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" is not too rigid in nature it sort of feels like a jam session; in a good way.  The more mature efforts came after but nothing will ever compare to the first.

Rating: 8.2/10