Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

OK, this record has been out for a while, and I’m sure if you were going to buy it, you’ve bought it already. But if you’re an alternative rock fan that likes the direction rock has gone this decade and you haven’t bought this album, here’s a tip: you should probably buy this album.

While nearly every song has an element I dislike (a tempo change, an out-of-place chord, weird song structure), the songs are so alive and fresh it’s impossible not to like this record. I’ll admit, though, that I didn’t get it the first time through. If I concentrate on any one specific song, it’s underwhelming, but as a collection of songs, the Monkeys have produced an awesome document of life for drunken British twentysomethings circa late 2005.

I was also impressed with Alex Turner’s lyrics. He clearly enjoys writing and wordplay, which indicates to me that he’s got a lot to say. This bodes well for future Arctic Monkeys albums.