Freshly Squeezed

Sheffield, England, foursome Arctic Monkeys started 2005 as relative unknowns but -- thanks to some catchy songs, an impressive live show, and a rabid, Internet-savvy fan base -- became a music industry phenomenon by year's end. Their first two singles debuted at No. 1 on the British charts, as did this album, which is officially the fastest-selling debut in British recording history. It's a bit hard to hear the music for the hyperbole at this point, though if you can cut through the ballyhoo it's easy to see what at least some of the fuss is about. Musically, Arctic Monkeys' shambolic, melodic rock isn't so different from any number of other contemporary bands who spent the last five years listening to the Strokes and the Libertines (and maybe the Jam). But frontman Alex Turner is a keen observer whose lyrical barbs are tossed off with attitude and a thick northern accent, and his songs paint a more vivid portrait of what it's like to be young, male, and British in 2006 than a year's subscription to FHM, Loaded, and the NME ever could. Vignettes include a look at the intricacies and frustrations of the mating game ("I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," "Dancing Shoes") and dealings with both meathead bouncers at clubs ("From the Ritz to the Rubble") and small-town cops ("Riot Van"). Turner saves most of his ire for the music industry. "Fake Tales of San Francisco" and "Maybe Vampires Is a Bit Strong" eviscerate the build-them-up-to-knock-them-down nature of the music press, as well as the readers who hang on every headline. One imagines Turner would likely be the first to say, "Don't believe the hype" -- check the album title -- even if the Arctic Monkeys' music says otherwise.